Requiem for Atonement
by kakashi97
Summary: The beginning of atonement is the sense of its necessity. When a fallen warrior seeks it, the world itself changes. The greatest tool for redemption is time. But what if he is offered more than just time? Will the universe help him? Or test him? Or will it conspire against him? Set in an AU where not everything is the same as you know it.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

 **Hey there. Kakashi97 here with a brand new story. The idea to this came after a self-challenge I made to myself. Delve deeper into the Naruto-verse. Bring out any and all the what-if scenario's that would make the Narutoverse more intense. I must warn that this story is going to be a little different from my previous works.**

 **Naruto will be stronger but not undefeatable. Definitely not. The story will follow the canon timeline but you'll see a lot of deviations from canon. A LOT! That's the butterfly effect for you. There are characters alive in this who died in canon and characters will die who managed to live in canon. So you'll find a few OCs who are a figment of my vivid imagination.**

 **Coming to pairings, it'll be NarutoxIno. Why? Blame the butterfly effect. I'll explain this in detail in the coming chapters. But don't expect any sappy romance. This is not a romance fic. Their relationship will be vital in the later stages but not it's not my focus point. This is M rated because of the use of coarse language and in some cases, graphic violence depictions. If you're expecting lemons or any sex scenes, you might as well stop reading now.**

 **Finally, I always welcome any kind of reviews. Positive, negative, bashing, anything. But please don't post the plot of this story in your reviews. If you don't like the way things are proceeding, you're free to stop following this. But don't badly summarize and ruin it for the other readers as well. This is my only request for you guys.**

 **Alright, enough rant. Let's get down to the business.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any other characters (*except for the ones I created*) mentioned in this story. I do not make any profits from writing this story either.**

* * *

Konoha's winter nights are always a chilly affair and start unusually early. As early as October sometimes, this time being one of them. The sun has already set and the cold breezes started flowing, sending shivers down anyone, civilians and shinobi alike, who was brave or stupid enough to be caught without enough layers.

The ANBU guards were few of those brave/stupid people who were bracing themselves against the howling breezes. Clad in their standard uniform, their shoulders were the Achilles heels, open to the air, being affected the most. The location of the cave they were guarding wasn't helping their cause either, being in the middle of a clearing in the dense forest on Konoha's outskirts. Unaware of what exactly was going inside the cave, they were bored and freezing but alert nonetheless. Little did they know that their ignorance was a blessing in disguise for them.

The screams of pain echoed throughout the cave worrying both the male occupants, one who was holding his wife's hand while the other was focusing on the seal. The source of the screams, a redhead women, along with the two male members was sweating profusely. Each for their own reasons.

"I can see the head now. Push harder. Come on, push." Urged Biwako Sarutobi who was playing the role of a midwife.

"Urghhh..." grunted the redhead was trying to welcome a new life into this world.

"Come on Kushi-chan. You can do it. I'm right here so don't worry." her husband said trying to calm her nerves and ease the process of childbirth. Little did he know the extent of wrath he's gonna face for those words.

Kushina took hold of her husband's collar and yanked it pulling him close to her face, her eyes burning with pain induced fury. "Nawaki you baka. I swear I'll kill you for putting me through this. So you better shut up if you don't want to be tortured first before you die." she yelled, the pain around her hips growing unbearable with each passing second.

The brown haired Senju clan head gulped visibly at his wife's threat. He knew better than anyone about Kushina's temper. A prankster by nature, she was dedicated to getting her revenge no matter what. Though not life-threatening, her pranks were never to be taken lightly. He himself had a few first-hand experiences which made him sweat harder.

"Less talking and more pushing. You can't afford to waste your breath like that." Biwako scolded with a frown. "You," she continued turning towards Nawaki, "Hokage-sama is being more helpful to your wife than you. Get out of here if you're just gonna make things more hectic."

Nawaki had a crestfallen expression when he heard the Sarutobi lady scold him. He felt like he was back in the academy again for some reason. But that didn't last long as the Hokage came to his fellow man's rescue.

"It's alright Biwako-sama. I'm sure it's just because of the nervousness and excitement of becoming a father that made Nawaki-san like this." Minato said with a strained smile. Holding the seal containing a bijuu was more tiresome than expected. He doubted anyone other him or Jiraiya could've done this job. Well, there was Kushina too but the fact that she's the one in labour took her out of the equation.

With one final push and scream from Kushina, a new set of cries started ringing through the cave as the child took its first breath in the shinobi world. Kushina looked like she was on the verge of unconsciousness with all her energy drained. Biwako wrapped the crying infant in a soft towel and pushed past Nawaki who was itching to see his newborn's face before placing the bundle beside a tired Kushina.

"You did well Kushina-chan. It's a beautiful girl." Biwako said smiling fondly at the image of the first meeting of the mother and daughter. Kushina let out a heartful smile when her eyes landed on her daughter. She just kept looking at her newborn baby girl, absorbing her features and imprinting them into her mind.

The girl had short red hair and three whisker-like markings on her cheeks. She couldn't help but choke in happiness when looking at her. All the pain she endured, all those sick mornings, all those back aches paled at the sight of her daughter.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Nawaki whispered leaning closer towards his wife trying to peek at his daughter. Kushina could only nod her head in agreement. "Seems like hair colour isn't the only thing that took she took from her mother. Thank you Kushi-chan. You've made me a father today. I couldn't ask for anything more." he said while kissing his wife's forehead.

Minato just smiled, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Well, I'll take my leave now. Mikasa-chan will kill me if I left her alone for too long now." he said with a sheepish laugh. Nawaki just walked towards the Hokage and bowed gratefully to the blond.

"Thank you Hokage-sama. I don't know if I can ever repay you for your help. I and my wife are forever in debt to you."

"No need for that Nawaki-san. I'm just helping my fellow villagers and protecting the village. It's my duty after all."

"You're too humble for your own good Hokage-sama." Nawaki replied with a shake of his head, smiling all the while. "Thank you again. I'm sure nee-chan is looking over Mikasa-san as we speak. I won't keep you away from your wife any longer. Whoever said 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' must've had a scary wife. Nothing's scarier than an angry woman."

"Nawaki you baka." Kushina growled from behind before any of the men could've laughed at the jibe. Nawaki immediately tensed and turned with a not-so-reassuring smile trying to wriggle his way out of this.

Minato just smiled at the image of a terrified Senju begging his wife's forgiveness before flashing out of there.

"I swear Kushi-chan, it was nothing. Just bonding over the fact that I and Hokage-sama are gonna be fathers on the same day."

Kushina just sighed at the obvious lie, not having enough energy to argue. "I hope Hokage-sama's child and Shizuka-chan here can be friends." she said.

"Shizuka huh?" Nawaki thought for a while before beaming at his sleeping daughter. "That name suits her pretty well. She will definitely make some good friends."

"Even Mikoto's youngest. He's a couple of months older but they'll attend the academy together. I hope you don't mind if Shizuka is friends with an Uchiha. I just want her to be friends with everyone unlike me."

"What?! Why would I be? That'll be even better. I know the Senju and Uchiha have a long history of bitterness but its all in the past. Nee-san might not like them because of what Madara Uchiha did to our grandfather but even she doesn't hate them. She even respects them a little for standing up against their patriarch and choosing to live in peace rather than rebelling against the village though she never says it out loud. Why would she choose to personally oversee Mikasa-san's delivery if she did?"

"If she didn't hate me before, then she's definitely going to hate me now." a new voice spoke as the smile on Nawaki's face faltered. His expression turned rigid as a wooden stake was now protruding out of his chest. Kushina's face went pale as she watched a wooden stake was driven right through her husband's heart by a masked man who materialized out of thin air.

Nawaki in spite of the pain drew a kunai quickly and tried a backhanded slash at the intruder only to pass right through him. He lost his balance as he turned on his heel and dropped to his knees, blood now seeping out of his pursed lips.

"NAWAKI! NO!" Kushina cried in despair as she watched her beloved dying right in front of him.

"You have something I need and unless you want your newborn to breathe her last breath now, you'll come with me."

* * *

Minato flashed away from the cave and reached the hospital gate. He quickly ran up to the ward where his child was about to be born. 'Or already did?' He'd hate not to be there for his wife during labour but he had a duty as a Hokage to protect the village. If the Kyuubi were to escape during the childbirth?! No. That would be a scenario he'd rather avoid. The absence of Jiraiya meant he was the only one who could get the job done.

But now that the job was done successfully, thoughts of family overtook his sense of duty as he barely acknowledged the civilians in the hospital who were bowing to him out of respect. His heartbeat started to increase as he reached the floor where the delivery room was in.

'Is it a boy or a girl? How will he/she look like? I hope I'm not too late.' he thought while rushing towards the delivery room. Being the Hokage has its own perks and royal treatment was one of them. Only a select few people were lucky enough to be taken care by Kato Tsunade herself, his wife being one of them.

When he finally took the turn which led to the room, he saw three people standing outside the delivery room who were in a serious discussion. He didn't know why but he was getting a bad feeling watching them. The whole floor suddenly seemed bleak and lifeless.

'I don't like the feel of this.'

It was supposed to be a joyous occasion where celebrations are meant to happen. But the feeling he was having was unshakable. He started to approach them and saw that they noticed his presence. The faces of all three looked crestfallen as they saw him approaching. The foreboding feeling he had earlier was getting stronger with each passing second.

"Tsunade-san. What's wrong?" he said getting straight to the point. Tsunade could only hang her head down in shame as she rejected to look him in the eye. She couldn't after what happened.

"Mikoto-san?" he looked towards the said person for an answer only to see the woman on the verge of tears. She looked like she would break with the slightest nudge.

He finally turned to the third and last person in the hallway. Even the usually stoic person looked despondent. A rare show of emotion was on display by the current Uchiha clan head. "Fugaku-san?" Fear dripped into his voice as he couldn't help but imagine the worst case scenario about his unborn child.

Fugaku sighed before taking a long breath. He knew silence will only drive the blond insane with anxiety. " It's a boy Hokage-sama. But Mikasa...she didn't make it. I'm sorry."

Minato felt like the whole world around him started to crumble. He didn't want to believe what Fugaku just said. "No. No way." he mumbled, shaking his head in denial.

"I'm sorry Hokage-sama. I failed to save her life." Tsunade spoke with her head still down in shame and guilt. She personally chose to oversee the delivery as a token of gratitude towards Minato for helping with Kushina's delivery. She knew how important it is for a parent to be around during childbirth and when she came to Minato agreed to be for her little brother's child risking missing his own baby's birth, she couldn't help but try to repay him in some or the other way.

But she failed. All her medical expertise couldn't help her through the complication which occurred during labour. She even called him Hokage-sama for the first and meant it even though she never did before. She felt like she didn't deserve to call him by name even though she practically knew for over 10 years.

"C-can I...see her?" Words struggled to come out as the lump in his throat was getting bigger with every breath he takes. When Tsunade couldn't hold herself and tears started to roll down her cheeks, Fugaku placed a hand on Minato back and guided him inside the room.

Minato felt his feet heavier than ever. The small walk to the bed from the door felt like he walking with a mountain on his shoulders. The dreadfulness only increased when he saw the bed with a crib beside it. As he approached the bed, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken at the sight of his wife who looked like she was sleeping peacefully.

His arm moved on its accord and cleared the hair strands which were falling on her face. He cupped her cheek and caressed it with his thumb while holding back his tears. Her long shiny black hair framed her pale heart-shaped face. She looked as beautiful as he remembered. He wouldn't have believed she was dead if her skin didn't feel a little cold.

"I killed her." The Hokage said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Nonsense. She knew about risk and decided to go through with it." Fugaku retorted, his voice soft yet condemning.

"But I should've-"

"It was her decision to give birth Hokage-sama. Please respect my sister's last wish. She sacrificed her life for the child. Don't taint her sacrifice with excuses." His tone gave no room for further discussion as Minato kept watching his wife.

A moment of silence followed Fugaku's words. "How are you able to hold it together? She was your sister. You knew her long before I did. Yet you didn't spill a tear. How?"

"I'm not going lie Hokage-sama. She and I have always been different. Her ideology vastly differs from mine. We never agreed upon the same thing. But she was my sister nonetheless and no matter how different we both were, I loved her more than anything. Am I feeling sad because she died? Yes. But I am even prouder of her than I have ever been."

The last sentence made Minato look at Fugaku like he was staring at a ghost. He didn't understand how can a person be proud of something like death. The confusion threatened to stir up anger in his heart but he controlled himself, giving his brother-in-law the benefit of doubt.

"Many people in this world die a pointless death. They live a pointless life, just surviving for no real reason and dying without a meaning. But not my sister. She died knowing she was giving life to another. Her death had a purpose. How many people can say they died for such a noble cause in this cursed world Hokage-sama? It was her choice and I can't help myself but respect it and be proud of it." He said with a proud voice, though his eyes were watery.

Minato understood how much Fugaku was suffering from losing his sibling. His sadness was clear in his eyes and yet he composed himself, stood tall, feeling proud of his sister and her decision. He was doing it for her so that her soul wouldn't regret her decision of leaving behind her family. He felt shame that he even doubted Fugaku's feelings towards Mikasa.

"It's your duty to make sure her purpose isn't wasted away. Raise the boy to be a man who can make my sister proud Hokage-sama." Fugaku said, turning back on his heel and leaving the room to give the blond some privacy.

Minato watched Mikasa's face while trying to absorb Fugaku's words. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't digest the fact she was gone. With one last look, he took a deep breath and leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead.

His attention slowly moved towards the crib. An unfamiliar feeling coursed through him when he laid his eyes on his son who was looking back at him curiously. Fair skin, bright cerulean eyes and with an oval face just like him. The only difference was the hair. It was shiny black just like his mother's. He couldn't help but smile looking at the child. Gently swooping the baby into his arms, he kissed his son's tiny nose.

"You know, a lot of babies would cry by now. But you're different, aren't you?" His son's only reply was a chuckle. A chuckle which made Minato forget the all the pain he endured a couple of minutes ago. A chuckle which made him understand Mikasa's decision.

'I see it now. The feeling I'm getting now, you've had it from long before, haven't you Mikasa?' he thought while looking back at his wife. 'The feeling of completeness due to his presence, the need to protect him at any cost, the feeling of not letting him go. I get it all now.'

Just like Fugaku, even he started to respect her decision and be proud of it. 'Thank you, Mikasa. And I'm sorry.' His attention turned back towards the boy in his arms. Just when he was about to make a silly face to make his son chuckle again, a malicious vibe hit him. A chakra so sinister that it's slightest hint made his son cry.

"Ushhhhh...Don't worry. Daddy will protect you." Minato tried to soothe his son only to fail. The ominous chakra's presence was becoming more potent when he rushed out with his son still in his arms. He looked towards Fugaku with a worried a face only to see even Fugaku frowning. "You sensed it, didn't you?"

"It's faint but it's definitely there. Must be at the outskirts or outside the wall. But who could it be?" Fugaku said though he thought it was pointless. Minato was one of the best sensors in all the elemental nations.

"It's inhuman. Almost like a..." Minato didn't let that thought finish. The mere thought of it made him shudder a little. 'The seal was intact when I left. It shouldn't have escaped.'

Suddenly a group of ANBU appeared in the hallway. "Hokage-sama, the Kyuubi suddenly appeared at the gates and started to rampage." The one with bear mask announced.

All of them turned apprehensive when they heard that the Konoha's bijuu has escaped. Minato carefully handed his son to Mikoto who took the crying baby into her arms without any hesitation. She started to rock him back and forth trying to soothe the infant.

"Don't worry. Tou-chan will be right back." Minato whispered before looking at Fugaku. He realised the Uchiha patriarch's visual prowess would help him a lot. Fugaku just nodded in return, understanding what was required of him.

When he was about to leave, another squad joined them, one of them carrying a bundle which looked a little familiar. "Hokage-sama, someone attacked the cave where Nawaki-sama's wife went into labour. Unfortunately, he along with Biwako-sama were found dead while Kushina-san is missing. We found this child unattended."

* * *

Uchiha Itachi, the eldest son of Uchiha Fugaku was staring at his mother who was pacing around the living room worriedly while holding another baby in her arms. He had never seen his mother tense up so much. While he could guess that she was worried about his father not being home at this late hour, he didn't understand why as this wasn't anything new. His father stayed out late many times a week as he's the head of the Uchiha police force.

'Maybe it has to do with that Ominous aura and the faints screams I heard before. But it disappeared a while ago. So what's taking tou-san so long ?' he pondered. The Uchiha district being pushed towards the edge of the village made it difficult for him to know what exactly was happening outside. That and his mother expressly forbidding him to step outside the living room.

'It would be more clear if I can just take a peek outside through the window at least.'

"Kaa-san, what's happening outside? Is the village under attack by enemies?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Uh-No Itachi-kun. Everything will be alright. Your tou-san and Hokage-sama will make sure of it. You should probably sleep along with Sasuke-chan, don't you think? It's already late." Mikoto tried sounding casual but the worry was clear in her eyes and voice.

"Ok Kaa-san." he obediently replied but knew he couldn't sleep. Not without knowing what was going on. So many questions were spinning in his mind. What was that sinister presence? Why isn't his father home yet? But most importantly, who was the other child? He calmly walked into one of the bedrooms and placed Sasuke in the crib beside his bed.

Mikoto looked the child in her arms who was now sleeping after crying uncontrollably.' Poor thing must be exhausted.' she thought. Just then, the door of the room slid open to reveal Fugaku who seemed dreary than ever. "What happened?" she asked, knowing something was clearly wrong.

"The Kyuubi is resealed," he replied, slumping down onto a tatami mat.

"Resealed?"

"Yes. The newborn daughter of Nawaki-san and Kushina-san is the new Jhinchuriki of the Kyuubi."

"But what about Kushina?"

The silence was enough of an answer for her. She gasped at the realisation of Kushina's death.

"Her body is yet to be found but we doubt she would survive the bijuu's extraction. Uzumaki or not, even she is human."

"It's going to be hard for the child. Being a Jhinchuriki and losing both her parents on the same day she was born." Mikoto couldn't help but feel sympathy towards her friend's daughter. She never expected things would go wrong this horribly.

"Tsunade-san and her husband Dan-san said they'll take care of the child. She'll be raised by them as their own. Discussing the adoptions was the reason why it took so long."

"Ohhh." She said, not able to find any other words to say. She always thought that she, Mikasa and Kushina would be those mothers who would meet up once a week and talk about how hectic things are with their respective children. Or how their husbands are so busy with work. Similar scenario's played through her mind until she caught on Fugaku's words.

"Wait... Did you just say adoptions? Like multiple?"

Fugaku sighed. He lost count how many times he did it this night alone. But he knew out of all the details, this was going to be the most shocking. "Minato is dead. He died resealing the Kyuubi into the girl."

Mikoto's face went pale. "He's ...dead?". Minato was practically family even before he married Mikasa. The blond had a way of getting into peoples' hearts. In more than one way. That's what she always used to say to him. Even though Fugaku was initially against the idea of his sister marrying his unspoken rival, even he couldn't object it for too long. To think that he was no more was really a heart-wrenching thought.

This day was tragic as it was and now even the Hokage died. She immediately looked at the boy in her arms, worrying about his future before she pulled back to reality when Fugaku continued to talk.

"I don't know what that fool was thinking doing what he did." Fugaku cursed slamming his fist on the floor. Anger mixed with sadness flowed through every inch on him. "He sacrificed himself to seal away the Kyuubi. Tried to play the hero and look where it got him. To top this all, he chose his own son to be the Jhinchuriki."

"What?!"

"That was before Tsunade-san talked some sense into him. ' _How can I ask for someone else's child if I can't subject my own to the same fate_ ' he said. His misguided sense of morality could've destroyed this boy's future."

Mikoto took in all the details carefully. Silence enveloped the Uchiha couple before she decided to speak again. "So, what about Naruto's future?" Fugaku just looked at her with a confused frown.

"That's what they were gonna name this boy. Mikasa mentioned it once before." Explained the Uchiha matriarch.

"I've decided to take him in. I know it's going to a burden to you handling two infants but I couldn't let him be an orphan. He's my sister's son. He's family."

Mikoto just placed her hand over his and smiled. "You don't need to explain. I would've done the same thing. And I think I can handle another child. I too am an Uchiha and he's as much as a family to me as to you."

She knows how much her husband values his family. His actions may look strict and harsh sometimes but deep inside his heart, she knew he held nothing but love and care for them.

"Then it's decided. The fifth member of our family is Uchiha Naruto."

* * *

"You can't let the Uchiha's take him sensei. They...they are...you know how they are." Jiraiya tried to plead his case against the decision of Naruto being adopted. He was the kid's godfather and he had to have a say in this decision.

"I know exactly how they are Jiraiya. They love and care for family above anything else." The sandaime calmly replied, taking a drag from his pipe.

"Fugaku hates Minato and you're putting his son under the care of his arch nemesis?"

"Don't exaggerate things."

"You know as well as I do that Fugaku-san had his eye on the Hokage's position for a long time."

"Yes. But he didn't object when I decided to appoint Minato-kun. He even agreed and supported him when Danzo questioned my decision."

"That's just a farce. Don't tell me you bought it."

Hiruzen just sighed. Why did his students have to be so stubborn? "You're forgetting one thing Jiraiya. Mikasa-chan was his sister. That makes the child his nephew and he has the right to adopt him. There's no reason for me to reject him." he reasoned.

"Even so-"

"Then what do you want me to do?" The current acting Hokage roared in frustration, slamming his fist on the table. He had enough of his student's baseless apprehensions.

Jiraiya was taken back by his sensei's outburst. The ever calm and collected Sarutobi Hiruzen losing his cool was a rare and terrifying sight. They don't call him the second coming of 'God of Shinobi' for no reason. But that outburst also made him realize how stupid he was being. He knew the Uchiha's valued family above anything else. They were harsh and cold but not cruel.

"I'm just worried how he'll end up being raised by the Uchiha's. What if he turns out to be too pragmatic or calculative or a power-hungry boy? We know that Uchiha's only respect power. What if Fugaku-san hammers it into him?"

"Mikasa-chan was the daughter of Uchiha clan head too. Did she turn out like that?" Hiruzen had to make Jiraiya see the current situation without any biased opinions. Only then can everything be alright. "Or do you want me to hand over the boy to you so that _you_ , a bachelor sennin who writes erotic novels, can _raise_ him? You maintain a spy network which is too valuable for the village. We can't have you babysitting for the foreseeable future. And you're definitely not the person who should raise a child by your own under any circumstances."

Jiraiya raised his eyebrow in a questioning manner, daring the acting Hokage to repeat the last sentence.

"Do you disagree with what I said?"

Jiraiya understood what his sensei was trying to say and stayed silent.

"A child needs the love of a mother and the care of a father. The Uchiha's is the only place where Naruto-kun would find those. A strict upbringing is better than the life of an orphan."

"Fine." Jiraiya conceded with an eye roll. "But if something happens to that boy..."

"Nothing will happen to him. Trust me. He's in good care. That being agreed upon, how long are you planning on staying in the village?" His expression turning a little sly at the last question.

"Oh, no way you're convincing me to take that chair sensei. I came by because I heard about the incident. Now I'm leaving because I got what I wanted." he replied while rising up from the chair he was sitting in for a dramatic effect.

"Come on Jiraiya. I'm too old for this now."

"True. But you know as well as I do that I'm not fit for that position. I never wanted to that position and an unpassionate Hokage is the last thing this village needs."

"I'll help you as an advisor whenever I can. Come on now, don't make me beg."

"Sorry sensei. But you have to find someone else for this job."

"Like who?"

"I don't know. There are many capable shinobi in Konoha besides you and me. There's hime or Dan-san or even Fugaku-san for that matter."

"Really? Fugaku-san?`" Hiruzen asked with his eyebrow raised. He couldn't believe his students was suggesting a person for the seat of Hokage whom he didn't trust even with the upbringing of his godson but to protect the whole village.

"I might not like that person but even I can't deny his capability. He's a shrewd and powerful man who knows how to play politics better than me. Heck, he might be the only one who could put those old hags and Danzo in their place. And if your statements about the Kyuubi's attack is true, he can even control the Kyuubi using his Sharingan."

"On the other hand, he's a stern man who's thinking isn't too far away from Danzo's. Both of them believe in strength and power rather than compassion and nurturing. So that man may be Kage level shinobi but he isn't a Kage material."

"Kato Dan, on the other hand, is a kind and passionate person who carries the will of fire. He's as good as Tsunade and Me, so his capabilities can't be questioned. So it's up to you and those damn elders now." He said while pacing around the room.

Hiruzen just carefully watched his most goofy student analyze and asses one of the most difficult situations for any village. He couldn't help but smile at how much effort and thought Jiraiya was putting behind this, thinking of potential candidates, analyzing their pros and cons and also keeping their personalities in their mind.

'You might say you're not passionate about the job, but you care for the village's well being more than anything else. You just think that being Hokage is all about paperwork. Putting that aside, you're the perfect candidate to place the village's safety. It's such a shame you don't want to take up the mantle.' Sandaime thought.

"I'm a free spirit sensei. I don't want to be chained down to a desk for the rest of my life. And if I'm too busy being the Hokage, then who'll carry on my legacy and write the next Icha Icha book?" The lecherous grin on him only grew when his sensei smirked with a shake of his head. He walked towards the open window and started to climb out of it when he heard the Sandaime speak.

"Don't you want to see your godson before you leave?"

"I will when the time is right. Just...not today." he replied and hopped down to take off.

Hiruzen just pensively stared at the door in front of him. 'Kato Dan huh?!'

* * *

 **A/N: That's the first chapter. I hope the changes from canon are clear to you guys. If not, leave a review and I'll clarify them when I post the next update.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys. Thanks for the Reviews, favs and follows. Really appreciate it. I'm glad you liked it. So here is the 2nd chapter. This chapter is mostly intercepts from Naruto's**

 **life at different stages in the span of 8 months. Have fun reading.**

* * *

'Why did I join the Academy? Why do I want to be shinobi? Do I really want to be a shinobi? Tou-san is a shinobi. Kaa-san said she used to be one. Itachi nii-san is a shinobi too. Now I and Sasuke too will be shinobi. Everyone in my family is a shinobi. Is that why I too chose to be one? Because everyone around me is a shinobi? Did I even choose? Did I have a choice in this?' Naruto thought, throwing a pebble into the lake while sitting on the edge of lake's pier. The pebble bounced on the surface of the water four times before diving into the lake.

'Choice. If I did, was this the right choice? Even if I chose to be a shinobi, do I know why I want to be one? For what reasons did I choose this?' The young black haired boy continued to contemplate while he launched another pebble across the lake.

He heard someone shout his name from a distance and turned around to see none other than this sibling, Uchiha Sasuke waving a hand at him. He waved back to let Sasuke know he noticed and heard him. Taking one last pebble, he launched again getting the same result he got for two previous stones. It bounced off of the surfaced exactly four times before diving into the lake. The stone's speed reduced once it was below the surface and slowly kept sinking until it carefully landed on a tower of similar pebbles.

Naruto, unaware of the events underwater, got up on his feet and grabbed his sling bag before running up to Sasuke who was waiting for him. "Let's go."

"How come you're taller than me when I'm the older one?" Sasuke asked with a pout. At the age of six, Sasuke was 1" short of being 4 feet tall. He had spiky black hair with the blue tint and small bangs starting to grow on the sides. Onyx eyes shined brightly with enthusiasm and eagerness. He wore a dull blue high collar t-shirt with full sleeves and white shorts with his brown bag slung over his shoulder.

Naruto is 4 feet tall even though he's 3 months younger than Sasuke. He had shiny black hair with thick locks falling down and covering his forehead. He too wore a grey standard Uchiha high collar t-shirt with black shorts and a beige sling bag. But what set him apart was his eyes. Bright cerulean eyes twinkled with curiosity and optimism. "Maybe I'm better than you at growing up?" He said before chuckling out loudly making Sasuke pout harder.

"I'll show you who's better. Let's race to the class. Winner gets to sit next to the window." Sasuke started to run before he even finished the sentence. Naruto barely registered anything before he watched Sasuke take off.

"Hey...Not fair." Even he started running behind Sasuke taking up the challenge. After all, this favourite window seat is on the line now.

' I don't know if it was my choice or not. But I don't mind this shinobi lifestyle. As long as I have my family, I don't mind it at all.' he thought he started to run over the rooftops to reach his destination quicker.

* * *

Time flies by him when he's around his family. His world, as of now, is very small. His house, his family and his books. He just loved reading. Especially the History books. He was fascinated by reading the stories of the older generations. How the world was back then, how people lived and behaved. He didn't know why but it brought an odd sense of familiarity to him.

He even read a book called 'Shinobi arts' before joining the academy. That was when his fascination shifted from reading to training. Shuriken jutsu, in particular, was his favourite. Right now, he's in one of such practice sessions along with Sasuke and Itachi.

Itachi drew six kunais and took a deep breath as Naruto and Sasuke watched. He leapt into the air and turned upside down and activated his Sharingan before throwing the kunais in such a way that they hit each other and directed themselves towards their respective targets including the ones in his blind spot. He landed softly on the ground and looked at the targets to appreciate his work. Naruto and Sasuke ran towards Itachi amazed by the show he put.

"Wow, Nii-san! You were awesome."

"Yeah. That was so cool!"

"The way you jumped in the air..."

"And the way you closed your eyes and turned upside down..."

"And how you threw the kunai..."

"The way they hit the target..."

Naruto and Sasuke took turns exuberantly explaining every move Itachi made to himself with stars in their eyes. Itachi couldn't help but laugh at the Irony of the situation and the Innocence in their hearts.

"Alright alright. Calm down you two." Itachi said still trying to stifle his laugh.

"Nii-san teach us how to throw like that." Naruto pleaded.

"Yeah. Even we want to become a great ninja like you." Sasuke added.

Itachi just shook his head in response. "I can't. It's been just 2 weeks since you both joined the Academy. I doubt they've even taught you how to throw a shuriken, let alone a Kunai."

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged looks before looking back at him with expectant eyes.

"They didn't even teach you the theory behind that, did they?" Itachi asked. Both his little brothers just shook their heads in denials. "Then I most definitely can't let you both even touch them." 'The standards these days at the academy are dropping.' he added as an afterthought.

"But I read the theory behind the shuriken jutsu in a book." Naruto said. Itachi just raised his brow skeptically. "True Nii-san. From the book called 'Shinobi arts'." Naruto continued, trying to prove he was saying the truth.

'That book isn't given to Academy freshers.' "Naruto, where did you get that book?" Itachi voiced his concern. He didn't mind the curiosity the child had but he couldn't let that become an obsession. He has seen enough people be blinded by power lust.

"I..uh...found it a shelf?"

Itachi understood that Naruto took it from the shelf of his room. He knew about his youngest brother's passion for reading so he didn't mind when Naruto often went through his book rack. As far as he remembered, Naruto mostly studied those history books.

"It doesn't matter Naruto. Studying in a book is not the same as learning from an experienced instructor in the Academy."

"But I know the basic principles behind them. Isn't that the most important thing? Besides, you are present to correct if I make any mistakes. One chance. Just one. Please, please."

Itachi let out a resigned sigh.'He's too tenacious for his own good.' "Alright. But just one chance. It doesn't matter if the attempt is successful or not. Only one. Got it?"

"Hai." Naruto said enthusiastically with a nod and held his arm out. Itachi took out a shuriken and placed in Naruto's hand.

"There's your target. Try to hit as close to the centre as possible." Itachi said pointing towards an unused target board. Naruto nodded and stepped forward as Sasuke and Itachi watched.

Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'Ok. Just remember what you read. First, hold the shuriken firmly between your thumb and index finger. Then stretch your arm and lock your shoulder.' He simultaneously did the action while thinking in his mind. 'Then lock your elbow and bring the Shuriken to your eye level.' He slowly opened his cerulean turned cobalt blue eyes and locked the target. 'Now THROW!'. The shuriken whizzed past and hit the target right at the centre.

"Yes! I did it. Did you see nii-san? I did it." Naruto started jumping up and down in joy.

"Don't get too confident ok? It's just beginners luck." Sasuke said with his hands folded and a satisfied smile on his face. He was amazed and proud of Naruto for doing what he did but he would never let go of a chance to tease his sibling.

"It's not. I can prove it but nii-san said he'd give me only one chance." Naruto protested.

"Here. Go again." Itachi said giving another shuriken to Naruto. A move with took both Naruto and Sasuke by surprise. None of them was expecting that to happen. So it took a while before Naruto took the shuriken from Itachi's hand. "There. Try and hit that." Itachi pointed to a different target, one which was farther from before.

"Uh-okay," Naruto said before repeating his actions. The shuriken too mimicked the previous ones' action and hit the target dead in the centre.

"Woah! That was so cool." Sasuke said looking at Naruto with wide eyes. He turned towards Itachi before speaking. "Nii-san I want to try too."

"Some other time Sasuke. It's getting dark. We should head home now. Otherwise, Kaa-san will scold us."

"Aw." Sasuke puffed his cheeks and pouted again before he and Naruto took off, running towards their home. Itachi just walked slowly watching them from behind with a frown.

'What should I do? What Naruto did was no fluke. It's nothing short of exceptional. He's got a gift, that much is pretty evident. It is my duty as the eldest son to tell Tou-san about this. But...' he looked at them once again who were breathing hard after running for a while. Even in exhaustion, they both had huge grins plastered on their faces.'Tou-san hardly pays any attention to them now. Because of me. He's too focused on what I can do and achieve. If I tell him about Naruto, sure he'll be proud and train him better but Sasuke...He won't pay the same attention to Sasuke as he will to Naruto. I can't let that happen. Those two are too innocent to experience anything like that. I can't and will not let that situation take place, ever.'

* * *

'Strength. What is it? How we do know who is stronger? Is strength even measurable? If so, how is it measured? On what basis can a person be regarded as strong? The strongest.'

Just like every other day, thoughts continued to flood his mind as he continued to stare out of the window. That's why the place beside the window was so important for him. It let him think peacefully without any hindrance. Just looking at the trees and the empty sparring ground from his seat was enough to pull him into a different world. A world where questions popped up. These questions in return created the curiosity to learn the answers.

To him, this way of learning was actually better than listening to the whatever boring lectures the instructors were giving. Not that he thought of them as useless or anything. It's just that whatever they were telling were things which he already learnt from reading the books. History of the village, history of ninja, basics behind moulding chakra, etc etc.

But this particular day, thoughts didn't come to him because he was staring at the static image of trees and the ground. No. It was due to what he heard last night when he woke up from his sleep to get some water. The words his father spoke. The words that kept resonating in his mind from that moment onwards.

 _'Remember Itachi, you are the pipeline that connects our clan to the village. We must utilize this opportunity to re-establish our clan as the strongest in the village.'_

'Why did tou-san say that? Is it really important that our clan be the strongest in the village? What difference would it make? Everyone in the village is our ally. We won't have to fight them. So why is it so important that our clan be the strongest in our own village? Clan... Village... What's the difference? Both are just a group of people with similar ideas and interests. Well, the village is a little bigger but...wait, is someone calling me?'

Naruto quickly came out of his thoughts and turned his head to see his instructor glaring daggers at him. "Uchiha Naruto..." The instructor growled. "Are you paying attention to what I've been saying?"

Naruto stood up with a nod, though he didn't look very confident about it. At the moment, he realised one of his weaknesses. Lying. He needs to work on that.

"So you wouldn't mind telling me how chakra we infuse is converted into fire within our body, would you?" He asked, tapping his feet restlessly.

"Hai. We concentrate the infused chakra in our windpipe and try and mould it until we feel a burning sensation. We then spew it out producing fire. We can also manipulate the shape and the size of the jutsu depending on the amount of chakra we use." The answer was accurate to the letter, just how he remembered it reading a few days back. 'That was easier than I thought.'

But the relief he felt didn't last long. The looks of bewilderment and confusion from his fellow students and the almost tangible anger he saw on his sensei's face made it a short stay. "Uh... It is right, isn't it?" he asked, now a little unsure of his memory.

"It is! That is exactly why I know that you haven't been paying attention to the class. I didn't even complete the theory behind infusing chakra and you correctly answered a question on change in chakra nature."

Naruto cursed himself for that. 'That was a trick question?! I should've guessed it. Itachi nii-san did tell the academy standards have dropped these days and that question was not for a fresher. I didn't think this through.'

"You may be clever and know things that many here might not but that doesn't mean you get to slack off in the Academy. Call your parents tomorrow. I need to talk to them. You may sit now." The instructor said before turning towards the board and continuing his lecture.

Naruto slumped down in his seat and Sasuke snickering at him. 'Great. Now Tou-san and Kaa-san will think that I'm not taking my training seriously. This is not what I needed.' he thought as he buried his head on the bench.

* * *

'Stupid instructor. Why does he care if I don't listen to his boring lectures? I already know what he's saying. Why do I have to listen to something I already know?' Naruto threw pebble while sitting on the edge of the lake's pier. This was his go-to spot whenever he's disturbed by anything. He lost count of how many times he came here whenever someone denied him something or ...That's pretty much it. That's the only reason he'd feel disturbed or agitated. If someone denied him something. This time, the person was none other than his mother and the thing is reading.

'Because of him, I'm not allowed to read now. Just because I'd listen to his boring lectures to learn. Why does it matter how I learn? Books, lectures, at the end of the day, knowledge is what matters. Not the manner in which we do it.' He continued to throw pebbles as he let his pent-up thoughts. Every time, the pebble skipped four times before diving into the water.

'Thank goodness it was only kaa-san who came today. If tou-san was there, I don't know what would've been the punishment.'

"Naruto."

He jolted back to reality and turned around to see the one person he feared and respected the most.

"T-tou-san." He stammered as he got back onto his feet and stood attentively. 'When did tou-san come here? I didn't hear a thing.' That's when he felt like a complete idiot for the first time in his life. 'Of course. He's one of the strongest shinobi in the village. What am I thinking?' He wanted to slap himself but restrained from doing so in front of his father.

"Your kaa-san told me about the meeting she had with your instructor today." Fugaku spoke with an even tone, not a hint of emotion behind those words.

'That's it. I'm done. I won't be allowed to read permanently from now. I may even have to do house chores as an extra punishment. What did I do to deserve this?'

"Impressive. You're progressing very well."

'Uhm...What?!' Naruto blinked in confusion. 'What did kaa-san tell him?' Naruto wondered. His look of bewilderment was mocking the sanity of himself and the nature around him. An appreciation was the last thing he expected.

Fugaku noticed the confusion in the boy's eyes and he had to admit that it was kind of cute. Though he'd never say it out loud or even show a hint of such amusement in an outward manner. He had a reputation to maintain after all. He decided it's better to elaborate his statement before the child exploded out of confusion.

"I heard that you know how to change the nature of chakra already. Is that true?"

"Well, in theory, yes." Naruto said while nodding his head.

"Why don't you put to the application then? Watch carefully." Fugaku said before taking a few steps forward and standing on the edge. He went through a set of hand seals and inhaled a huge amount of air expanding his lungs.

" **Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu( Firestyle: Fireball jutsu)** "

A massive sphere of fire erupted and blazed over the lake, evaporating some of it and producing a few steams. Naruto watched as the fireball finally dissipated, his eyes wide with amazement. He snapped his head to look at Fugaku and asked for his permission to try it without speaking a word. The excitement in eyes was enough for Fugaku to know what was running in the kid's mind. He just nodded in response without any hesitation. After all, this is exactly why he came here today.

"The hand signs are-"

"Tora-Hitsuji-Saru-Buta-Uma-Tora. I saw them while you made them tou-san." Naruto said before he himself doing them.

" **Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu( Firestyle: Fireball jutsu)** "

The result left Fugaku speechless. A fireball, though not as big as his, engulfed the area in front of him, the scorching heat a definite proof of its destructive capacity. Though the shape of the fireball wasn't perfect yet, it was still a miracle that a barely seven-year-old boy achieved this. It felt like deja vu for him, as he remembered the first time he thought Itachi the same thing.

'This boy...He's just like Itachi. I shouldn't be surprised knowing who his father is. He even looks like him. The same eyes, the same face. The only thing he took after Mikasa is the hair I guess.' he thought as he placed his hand on Naruto's head. "That's my boy." he said, ruffling Naruto's hair.

'Don't worry Mikasa. I'll raise him to be a man you'll be proud of and ninja who surpasses his father.' Fugaku thought as he and Naruto walked back to their home.

* * *

The sounds of steel clashing echoed throughout as the two tantos met for the last time that evening. Itachi and Shisui were breathing hard after coming to a skidding halt. Shisui was the first to put his tanto back into its sleeve. "That's enough for me today." he said as he slowly walked towards Itachi who finished sheathing his tanto as well.

"You always do this Shisui. You give up just before-" Itachi said but was cut-off before finishing.

"One's gotta know his limits Itachi. I know mine so it's better to accept them rather than deny it."

"Uh-ha!" Itachi's response was skeptical but his thoughts weren't. He knew very well that the reason Shisui stopped because it was Itachi who was on the brink of exhaustion. 'That guy...' Itachi thought with a shake of his head though his smile betrayed him.

"Itachi nii-san won. Yay! He's the best." Sasuke and Naruto yelled coming out of hiding. Both of them made it a routine to watch Itachi and Shisui spar after the classes at the academy. Whenever Itachi had the time to spare, that is. He's become quite busy after joining in the ANBU. So they spent whatever time they could spare together.

"Hey, come on now. I was pretty good too." Shisui chimed, smiling goofily.

"Yeah, but you still lost." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke, it's not good to say such things." Itachi began to lecture his little brother. Sasuke's face looked crestfallen before he turned towards Shisui to apologize.

"Sorry, Shisui nii-san."

"It's okay Sasuke-chan. No need to apologise."

"Hey! I told you not to call me that. I'm not a little girl."

"But you pout like one though." Shisui said making everyone except Sasuke burst into laughter.

"It's...true." Naruto spoke still laughing.

"Hey! I may pout like a girl but you fight like one." Sasuke taunted back.

Naruto immediately stopped laughing and got into Sasuke's face. "What was that again?"

Shisui and Itachi just looked amusedly at the bickering kids in front of them. "You know, I can't believe how similar and different Naruto can be at the same time." Shisui said surprising Itachi.

"mm?"

"From you, I mean. I saw him many times and he seems so similar to you in many ways. He's calm, level-headed, a freaking genius and talks more to himself than to others."

"I don't talk to myself." That was more like a statement than a protest.

"Yeah, yeah. You _Introspect_." Shisui said making air quotes. "Whatever you call it, the kid does the same. I caught him off guard so many times, it's not even funny anymore. I can barely read his face most of the times. But it's different when he's around you or Sasuke or Fugaku-sama and Mikoto-sama. He behaves like a very happy child when he's around his family."

"Is that so?" Itachi said, he himself realising that for the first time. Come to think of it, he never saw Naruto alone or outside the house except while training. He always thought both Sasuke and Naruto are two innocent kids who deserved nothing but joy and happiness. But learning that Naruto had a more thoughtful side was both intriguing and frightening. He didn't want either of them to turn out like him. He was brought out of his musings when the squabble between Naruto and Sasuke finally ended and both of them stood in front of Shisui.

"Shisui nii-san, today we learned that Shunshin is used to increase our speed. So after class, I went to the library in the break to see if I could find something to read about Shunshin. I saw your name being mentioned in that. Is it true that you are called 'Shunshin no Shisui'?"

Shisui glanced at Itachi asking for a way out of this conversation. Itachi just shrugged in response with a smile. Shisui just groaned after he was left out to dry. 'Payback for what I did before huh? You Ungrateful bastard...'

"Uh...yeah. I guess so. It's no big deal actually. Just a simple jutsu. Anyone can do it." Shisui said, hoping that talking down on it would lose Naruto's interest on it. He still remembers how he had to sit and explain how to make the perfect fireball jutsu. He didn't want a repeat of that again.

"Really? Can you teach me then? It's no big deal like you said right?" Naruto asked, seizing the opportunity. 'Got you nii-san. That was a trick question. No matter how you answered, I would've come out as the winner.' he thought but masked his face with excitement and curiosity.

But Shisui managed to look past the facade. 'This damn gaki. He tricked me. He won't take no for an answer. If I reject now, he and Sasuke will gang up on me. On the other hand, if I accept, then Sasuke will definitely want in. He's gotten a little too competitive these days. Especially with Naruto. Dammit.' he thought before an idea struck him.

"I will. But I'm exhausted today."Shisui said with a forced fake smile.

"How about tomorrow then?" Sasuke asked.

"Sorry Sasuke. I have a mission tomorrow. Your brother isn't the only one who's busy you know."

"How about-"

"Later guys." Shisui said before disappearing in blur via Shunshin.

"That's the Shunshin." Itachi said to the wondering kids.

"Wow!" Both of them said in unison.

* * *

"The winner is Uchiha Sasuke. Now make the unison gesture." Iruka said as Kiba was on the floor while Sasuke was standing with a proud smirk on his face. Kiba held his rib and winced in pain as he got up with Sasuke's support. Both made the unison sign before parting ways. Sasuke walked back and stood beside Naruto who high fived him as he approached.

"That was a good fight. Well done."

"It was. That Inuzuka is a slacker but he packs quite a punch. Guess he's better at taijutsu than the other areas." Sasuke said dusting off his left sleeve.

"Yeah."

"Kato Nao and Uchiha Naruto, please step forward." Iruka called out.

Everyone student's eyes shined with excitement when they heard the names of the students who were gonna fight next. Murmurs started to erupt among the boys while most of the girls started to squeal in exhilaration. Iruka himself was looking forward to this though he remained passive.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances. Sasuke was smirking while Naruto had his brows raised in mocking disbelief.

"So...the destined meeting is finally gonna happen now."

"Please don't over exaggerate Sasuke."

"I'm not. The top 2 of the class are going up against each other. Look around you Naruto. You hear the buzz? That just proves my point." True to his words, the buzz was only increasing with each passing second. "Now do me a favor and kick his no.2 ass. Go."

Naruto exhaled and took a step forward to see his opponent already inside the ring. Kato Nao. The youngest son of the Godaime Hokage Kato Dan and Senju Tsunade. The unspoken rival of Naruto in the Academy. Well, at least to the others. Naruto never gave this rivalry any heed. Standing as tall as Naruto and Sasuke, he wore a teal t-shirt with a dirty grey scarf around his neck along with brown pants. He had shoulder-length pale blue hair and hazel eyes.

Naruto put his right leg back and brought his left arm up taking his stance while Nao did the same.

"Begin."

With that permission, Nao charged towards Naruto and swung his right arm only for the latter to duck below and throw a punch to his gut. Nao hunched a little and took a few steps back while holding the place where he's been hit. Naruto's fangirls cheered while Nao's winced more than he did. The boys just kept on watching without a word. Sasuke lips curved up into a smirk.

Naruto held his ground and didn't charge, waiting for Nao to take the initiative once again. Complying, Nao charged again with a similar right hook but got his left knee up in time to block Naruto's punch. He just kicked Naruto with his left leg while supporting himself on the other. Naruto blocked the kick but was pushed back due to the impact. Before he had any time for a breather, Nao was onto him again, a flying kick aimed right to his face. Naruto grabbed Nao's attacking leg and tried to fling him but failed in doing so. Nao managed to bounce back off a tree which was out of the ring and landed in the circle again.

Some of the boys were staggered to see the acrobatic display of Nao. The smirk on Sasuke's face vanished as he watched Nao gradually gaining onto Naruto. 'Get serious Naruto.' he thought he continued to watch tensely.

No words were spoken but the intensity in Nao's eyes showed that this wasn't an ordinary spar anymore. This match is being fought for the ultimate bragging rights. Naruto understood how serious Nao was when Nao held his ground and taunted him to attack. 'Guess I'll have to respond now.' Naruto thought.

Naruto started off with a left-handed jab which Nao swatted away easily but didn't counter attack. Naruto continued to throw jabs with both his hands and suddenly aimed a kick to Nao's face. Nao blocked the kick and took advantage of the opening and swooped Naruto off his foot making Naruto jump in the air. Nao maneuvered on the ground using his hands while aiming a kick right to Naruto' torso. Caught in mid-air, Naruto was completely defenseless and took the kick before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Everyone including Iruka were shocked to see Naruto disappear right in front of them. Gasps were let out and an equally confused but sharp Nao turned around to see Naruto crouching on the ground behind. 'Now is my chance to finish him.' Nao thought and charged at Naruto. Naruto unaware of the incoming threat dusted and himself and by the time he realized and looked up, Nao's fist was right in front of his face.

Nao's lips curved up when he was about to punch Naruto in the face. The smile of triumph adorned his face gracefully. But the victorious grin didn't last long as he passed through Naruto's face like he was an intangible object. He sported a worried look for a fraction of second before he tripped and landed face first on the ground, outside the ring.

Howls of shock erupted all around as Naruto dissipated after the contact. The students were searching all over when Iruka spotted Naruto standing on top of a tree branch. Naruto jumped down and landed back inside the ring to receive applause and cheers from everyone.

"Iruka sensei. Naruto cheated. He stepped out of the bounds." Ami, one of Nao's fangirl yelled, pointing at Naruto.

"But sensei, I just used the tree as support to jump back inside just like Nao did. The only difference is I took a little longer."

Iruka pondered over the accusation and the defense of Naruto for a while. 'He didn't step on the ground outside so he's technically not out of bounds. But that doesn't explain the rest of his actions.' he thought before making up his mind. "The winner of the match is Kato Nao." Iruka announced surprising everyone. Naruto, who didn't actually mind the result glanced curiously at Iruka to know the reason.

"Naruto, while you were technically not out of bounds, you are disqualified for not following the rules of the spar." Naruto's curiosity only grew after that statement. "You used **Kawarimi no jutsu** and **bunshin no jutsu**. This is a traditional hand to hand combat. No ninjutsu is allowed to be used. You would've known that had you paid any attention in the class." Iruka elaborated.

Naruto exhaled in defeat after listening to Iruka's response. 'That has to be the worst way to lose a spar.' Naruto thought as he walked back to where Sasuke was.

Nao too got back onto his feet and dusted himself off while a conversation between his fellow classmates caught his ear.

"He can already do ninjutsu that easily? Wow. Naruto would've been declared the winner had ninjutsu been allowed." Choji said.

"What are you talking? Naruto would've been the winner either way. I mean, look at that guy. He was unfazed even after the result. That just shows us how far ahead he is. Even Nao had to bite the dust. It's a drag but he's clearly in a league of his own." Shikamaru lazily drawled.

Anger seeped through Nao as he silently heard the conversation. Every word of it felt like a piercing blow to his pride. He felt like he didn't deserve to win. No. Rather, he felt he couldn't have if it hadn't been for the disqualification. He clenched his fists and strode away from there.

"Show off. You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Sasuke teased when Naruto approached him.

"Does it look like that?" Naruto shot back with an annoyed look.

"If not then consider me unimpressed. I don't like to hear that you were outplayed in taijutsu by him."

"Let's just go. I need to practice my moves so I don't make a fool of myself next time." Naruto said as he turned on his heel and started to walk before slipping and hitting the floor. His hand immediately clutched his ankle and he groaned in pain.

"Now you're just embarrassing me. What kind of ninja loses his footing while walking?" Sasuke teased as he stood over Naruto.

"I think I twisted my ankle dammit. Get me up and take to the infirmary." Naruto growled in annoyance. Teasing was something both of them enjoyed when the other person is on their ass for whatever reason. But Naruto was really not in the mood for that now.

"Stop whining like a little girl." Sasuke replied while helping Naruto back onto his feet. He placed Naruto's hand over his shoulder and started to carry him while Naruto limped his way to the infirmary.

* * *

Fugaku was walking towards the Naka Shrine, the place where they were supposed to meet. He was rather skeptical about this private meeting. The timing and place were just too discrete. It was beginning to get dark and the Naka shrine was located too far away from the village. The only reason he accepted to attend this meeting is due to the presence of the former and Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Otherwise, he never would've accepted to meet Shimura Danzo all alone.

He knew very well what kind of a man Danzo was. A manipulative and devious son of a bitch who could cause some serious damage. But he had no delusions that this meeting would change his mind and produce any viable outcome. It was out of the respect he held for the Sandaime that he's doing this. When he exited the forest and entered the shrine premises, he could make out the silhouettes of two men standing right in front of the temple.

"Sandaime-sama, Danzo-san." He greeted them with an acknowledging nod.

"Fugaku-san, how have you been?" Hiruzen asked with his usual warmth.

"Good as ever sandaime-sama."

"Now that we are done exchanging pleasantries, we'll get to the point. Fugaku-san, we know that you're attempting a coup d'etat." Danzo spoke cutting through the bullshit.

A hint of panic entered Fugaku before it left with the speed it came. Though he was a little worried, he didn't show it on his face. 'How did this get out? He must have a spy in our clan to know about it. But who?' Fugaku thought as he went through the list of people he suspected. 'Could it be...?' he thought as one particular name stood out from the rest.

"We take it that your silence is a sign of agreement." Danzo continued.

"I have nothing to say. I'll be taking my leave now Sandaime-sama." Fugaku said as he was about to turn around.

"Wait Fugaku. You don't have to do this. Think about the bloodshed we could avoid." Hiruzen spoke making Fugaku stop in his tracks.

"Even I don't want any blood spilt over this. But time and again, the village and the elders have failed us. We are being outcasted in our own village Sandaime-sama. That is unacceptable and disgraceful."

"So the solution you seek is overthrowing the Hokage?" Danzo spoke.

"I have nothing against the Godaime Hokage nor any interest in that position. But if that's what is required, then so be it."

"Listen Fugaku. I know you're a reasonable man. We can talk things through before making these radical decisions. Think about the consequences. The imbalance in the village it might cause could be exploited by the other villages." Hiruzen tried to reason.

"The time for talks is long over. We did it many times. Over and over again with the Hokage and the elders. I don't know why but the elders are hell-bent on suppressing us and even Godaime-sama was helpless. All those talks resulted in nothing."

"Isn't that why we are meeting today? I will talk to the Homura and Koharu myself and I'm sure Kato-san can be reasoned too. Please don't make any hasty decisions Fugaku. That's all I-." Hiruzen's sentence was left unfinished.

"Oh Hiruzen... How naïve are you? Can't you see? Fugaku-san here is fixated on taking over the village. The Uchiha madness has finally taken his sanity. He's no longer the Fugaku you once knew. He's no longer a shinobi of Konoha. He's a traitor and a threat to this village now and as such it's my duty to neutralize any threats." Danzo said while he slowly removed his Kunai from the former Hokage's back.

Blood seeped through Hiruzen's lips as he started to gasp by the lack of air. Breathing suddenly became difficult and the world started to turn into a blur as the Sandaime Hokage fell onto his knees, blood spattering on the ground below him. Fugaku immediately jumped back, activating his Sharingan and drawing a Kunai out.

20 shinobi dressed in ANBU clothes emerged out and surrounded Fugaku as Danzo stood over Hiruzen's dying form and watched. "I'm sorry Hiruzen but you are too naïve to realize the threat these Uchiha possess. You are becoming more of a liability than an asset each day. That's why I was left with no other choice than this."

"You bastard. How dare you stab the Sandaime!" Fugaku hissed, wary of his position. He was surrounded by the 20 root members and also Danzo. He knew his chances of making out of this alive were slim. He could take on the ANBU and could've lived but Danzo is a different story altogether.

"No Fugaku-san. You did. You tried to kill the former Hokage while he and I tried to broker peace with you. I tried to capture you alive but circumstances drove me to take you down. That's what the story is going to be."

Fugaku's grip around his Kunai tightened as he heard what Danzo said. The usually stoic Uchiha patriarch looked enraged now. The fury in his eyes was too clear for Danzo. Fugaku threw the Kunai at Danzo who leapt out of the way. The root members themselves attacked Fugaku with paper bomb tagged Kunais. Fugaku too avoided them and managed to leap parallel to Danzo's path.

Danzo watched as Fugaku, who was straight in front of him a few feet away, launched a massive fireball at him. He weaved signs for his wind attack but he knew too well that his attack will be easily overpowered by the fireball. So he aimed at his side and used the reverse thrust from the jutsu to moved his body away from the path of Fugaku's jutsu and dodge it.

'Dammit.'Fugaku thought but before he could think anything else, he hit a brick wall in mid-air after his jutsu failed to connect to his target. He fell down but managed to stand on one knee where he found himself corned again, only this time, his back was against the wall, literally. 'Damn. This situation is getting worse every second.' he thought as he held his bruised shoulder.

Danzo appeared in front of him again though keeping a safe distance. " Resisting now is pointless Fugaku-san."

"Don't get so full of yourself Danzo. How could you of all people think that a mere stab wound would keep the Sandaime down? He may be old but he a lot tougher than he looks." Fugaku said with a cocky grin. 'I need to buy some time here. Sandaime-sama will be back and won't stand with Danzo. Also, someone must've seen that fireball. This would be a lot easier if I hadn't been too careless as to come here without any backup.'

"I know that pretty well Fugaku-san. I know it better than anyone. That's why I know he'll die for sure if not already dead. That wasn't any ordinary stab there. The Kunai I used was laced with a special poison which induces paralysis. I stabbed him right in the spinal cord. The poison will not only enter his bloodstream, but also his brain through the cerebrospinal system. Then, each organ in the body starts to fail until the whole body ceases to function. So rest assured, my old friend will not come back to your aid."

'Damn this bastard. He wants to blame the death of Sandaime on me so that he can curb the coup.' he thought as he scanned the surroundings. 'I can't depend on someone to rescue me now. I've got no other choice but to use it.'

Fugaku calmed his breathing and closed his eyes. He concentrated chakra into his eyes before opening them and revealing his Mangekyou Sharingan. It took the form of three dots followed by three curves spiralling counter-clockwise around the pupil. Blood started to drip from his left eye as he focused on his target, Danzo.

" **Hachiman.** "

Danzo who noticed the change in Fugaku's eye pattern immediately leapt out of Fugaku's field of vision knowing whatever was coming his way was going to be fatal. True to his suspicions, when Fugaku missed Danzo, he targeted the rest of his men surrounded him. The moment Fugaku laid his eyes on them, an invisible slash hit them killing them instantly or even slicing them apart. But after 8 or 9 root men succumbed to Fugaku's mysterious jutsu, the rest became wary of him and started retreating back.

Fugaku relentlessly kept concentrating chakra into his eyes and managed to kill another 2 people and inflict fatal wounds another 3 before his eye stung from the pain. He shut close his left eye which was bleeding heavily and opened his right breathing heavily and assessing the damage he inflicted. Though he was happy to see 10 dead root members and another 3 on the verge of dying, he still didn't find himself in a good position.

'Fuck! Danzo is still alive and there are 7 more root members. My element of surprise is gone and I'm almost out of chakra. Guess the lack of practicing **Hachiman** has caught up to me. I think I have only 1 shot before I'm completely drained of chakra.'

The ANBU took advantage of his breathing period and launched a combination attack.

" **Raiton: Jūrokuchū Shibari(Lightning Style: Sixteen Pillar Trap)** "

" **Katon: Suyaki no Jutsu(Fire style: Biscuit firing jutsu)** "

Sixteen giant pillars trapped Fugaku from all sides and formed an oven like structure. Powerful flames then erupted inside the oven incinerating everything. Danzo and the rest of the root watched as Fugaku turned into ash inside the giant structure. At least that's what they thought until the oven was destroyed by multiple slashes and covering the whole area in dust.

Danzo and his men watched the cloud of dust towering over them before 3 yellow arrows shot from it killing more root men. The others were forced to retrieve back again. The cloud of dust settled down revealing a yellow gigantic, humanoid avatar made of the chakra which surrounded Fugaku. Fugaku was crouching on one leg as the armoured Susanoo looked ready to fire another shot of magatama arrows from its bow.

The root men unconsciously took a few steps back looking at the Susanoo in all its glory in the dark evening. Danzo remained in his position looking unfazed as ever. 'Susano'o huh? I underestimated him. Then I have no choice but to use my trump card.' Danzo thought while removing the bandages over his eye.

Fugaku got onto his feet and looked at Danzo uncovering his eye and looked aghast when he finally saw what was underneath. 'A Sharingan?! Impossible.'

Danzo looked straight into Fugaku's eye and concentrated his chakra into his eye. " **Kotoamatsukami.** "

Fugaku's facial expression changed back to his usual stoic before the Susanoo around him disappeared. His Sharingan got deactivated and he slowly started walking towards Danzo. Danzo drew his Kunai and exhaled wind chakra on it making it a vacuum blade. 'It's time for you to die Fugaku.'

* * *

Itachi was on the floor, kneeling on one knee with his head low as Danzo stood in front of him and looked the over bodies of Fugaku and Hiruzen. Fugaku had a gash across his torso and neck while Hiruzen's body was burnt to a crisp. It was barely recognisable.

"I never expected things would go this awry when I arranged this meeting on Hiruzen's request. When confronted about the coup d'etat, he accepted without a moment's hesitation. But the most shocking thing was his retaliation. So I had no choice but to kill your father when he murdered the Sandaime." Danzo said. He himself sported quite a few bruises along his arms and torso along with a deep bleeding gash on left leg.

"I know you care about this village Itachi. I know you are dedicated more to the village than your clan, unlike the rest. So that is the reason why I called you here now without even informing Hokage-sama or the elders about the events that unfolded. If I go to Hokage-sama and tell him exactly what transpired here, he will mostly use force to neutralise the coup d'etat which most probably will take place even without your father."

"Your whole clan will be called as traitors and be shunned by the rest of the villagers. The elders might even see this as an opportunity to destroy your clan completely. I , on the other hand, am willing to offer you a better solution here."

"Itachi, annihilate your clan yourself, take the blame for Hiruzen's death and flee the village. I'll let you spare your brothers in return. Innocent kids don't have to pay for the sins of the grown-ups. I won't reveal the truth of these incidents to anyone and neither will you. This is the best course of action for the village as well as your clan. The name of the Uchiha won't be smeared by dirt this way. But I can't promise the safety of your brothers if the truth gets out."

"The uproar it might cause in the village could be devastating not only for your clan but also for the village. Do it Itachi. Kill everyone in your clan except for your brothers. Do it for the sake of your clan and the village."

Itachi kept his head down all the while Danzo spoke. 'This...can't be happening.' he thought, his eyes wide in shock after hearing Danzo's words. 'Tou-san...couldn't have killed Sandaime-sama. He respects him too much for that. Danzo is lying but I have no way to prove it. If he reveals the truth, everyone including Hokage-sama will definitely believe him. But if tou-san didn't kill Sandaime-sama then who...' Itachi thought, trying to make sense of everything he saw and was being told.

'This fucking bastard! He killed Sandaime-sama and wants to pin it on tou-san.' Itachi concluded connecting the missing dots from the story with the facts he knew. 'But no one will believe that. Dammit! If his version of the story passes, then my clan will be dead or shunned out of this village. They'll be called as traitors just like he said. To prevent that I must-'

His thoughts came to a halt when his mother's smiling face flashed through his mind. He felt his heart clench at that. To think he must kill the very person who gave him his life was too overwhelming. But if he doesn't then the whole clan along Sasuke and Naruto will be in danger.

'Sasuke and Naruto...They are innocent. They don't deserve this.' he thought as the Naruto's and Sasuke's images flashed through his mind. 'This is all because of this fucking bastard who has the nerve to stand in front of me after doing what he did. I could rip him to fucking pieces on the very ground he stands but...That would again make me look like I and tou-san killed Danzo and Sandaime-sama and I made out of it alive. He planned this through quite thoroughly.'

Tears threatened to spill as he stared at his father's body but he controlled his emotions.' If only I hadn't distanced myself from tou-san, I would've known he would be here. I could've helped him and he still would be alive. It's because of me and my self righteous believes that tou-san is dead.'

A range of emotions flooded the teen's heart as he knelt before the very man who killed his father. Despair, grief, rage and guilt gushed through every fiber of his being.

"I'll do it."

* * *

The nurse finished bandaging Naruto's twisted ankle as he and Sasuke watched on.

"Well, that should do it. Sorry for the delay. As you can see, the hospital is quite busy today." The nurse said.

"No worries. We can still make it on time before kaa-san is done preparing food." Sasuke said as he moved to help Naruto down from his bed.

"What do think you are doing? He can't leave the hospital today."

"What?!" Both of the Uchiha prodigies exclaimed at the nurse's statement.

"You twisted your ankle pretty bad. If you move around even a bit now, it will start swelling and the injury will only worsen. You can't move an inch until tomorrow morning. Now just lay down and rest."

"You go Sasuke. Tell tou-san and Kaa-san what happened and tell them not to worry. I'm sure they'll understand. It's already dark. You should get going now." Naruto said.

"Understand? Yeah, right." Sasuke replied sarcastically. "They'll just rush right back here after knowing what happened. So just wait until they show up." Sasuke said as he left the room.

Naruto just smiled in response. He knew that would especially be true for Mikoto. She cared for her sons too much. But his smile disappeared when he peered out of the window. 'I don't like the feel of this. I feel like something's not right. What could it be?'

* * *

 **A/N: That's the second chapter. Hope you guys liked it. I also slightly tweaked the reason why Itachi chooses to massacre his clan because I felt that the reason in canon** **wasn't compelling enough. I hope it's a little better now. Just to clear up a thing, Shisui is dead by the end of the chapter but he was alive before. Like I said in the beginning,** **the chapter is a compilation of events and incidents spanning across 8 months of young Naruto's life. So it's an off screen death. Just like it was with Minato in chapter 1. Also** **many of you might be wondering what "Hachiman" is exactly. I'll explain it. Hachiman is Fugaku's Mangekyou Sharingan's Ninjutsu. It is named after God of war from the** **the Shinto religion just like the other mangekyou abilities are done by kishimoto. Hachiman is an ability which produces invisible slashes said to be made by Hachiman himself. A proper hit can kill almost anyone. I think I've explained anything that might confuse you guys. If still not satisfied, leave a review** **and I'll address it while posting the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

The news of the Uchiha massacre spread throughout the elemental nations like a raging wildfire. It didn't even take 2 days against the best efforts of the ANBU to contain it from every man, woman and child in Konoha from knowing that Uchiha Itachi killed every one of his kin except for his 2 brothers, turned rogue and fled the village overnight. It took less than a week to this news to reach the Hi no Kuni's capital and in 3 weeks, everyone in elemental nations knew and feared Itachi and his exploits.

But one thing remained a total mystery to the populace even after a whole month. The one question which loomed over everyone who knew about the incident. Why? What triggered the young teen to commit such an appaling crime against his own clan? Nobody knew.

What happens when something eludes everyone? Rumours start flying around. Theories born out of 1% facts and 99% vivid and creative imagination circled the village. Some rumours suggested Itachi betrayed Konoha and joined the ranks of another village and killing his clan was the test of loyalty he had to pass. A few far-fetched theories by a bunch of old men suggested that Itachi fell prey to the Uchiha madness which previously consumed the former Uchiha patriarch Uchiha Madara. But the most logical and accepted theory was Itachi had snapped under the pressure of being in the ranks of the ANBU at such a young age. But the lack of solid proof to back up any of these theories made the rumour mill shut down after a few weeks. The truth, on the other hand, nobody knew.

Nobody except one Shimura Danzo, who was currently in the Hokage's office along with the Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. But he wouldn't tell anyone about it, would he? No. He would just watch the situation play out itself.

"Hokage-sama, If you decide to release any statement regarding the incident now, the rumours which began to quiet down will start flying again. We must make sure people forget about this horrifying event as early as possible. Releasing an official statement will put the spotlight back on it. This is a black mark on the history of Konoha. We shouldn't be doing anything that would highlight it any more than it is already." Koharu said as the Godaime Hokage listened.

"But not taking any action against such a betraying act would make us seem like we are afraid of this. Or more terrifyingly, incapable of handling internal conflicts and our own Shinobi. We don't want to look weak now, do we?" Homura replied.

Kato Dan closed his eyes and continued to think about how to proceed on this issue. The Uchiha massacre was a delicate matter and it should be treated with the utmost care. The wounds are still fresh and he needs to make sure the village doesn't get hurt anymore because of the same wound.

Homura and Koharu were presenting two different viewpoints on the matter and while both of them are making logical arguments, their difference of opinion has left him in dilemma. He needed advisors who simplified his job. Not old farts who complicated it.

"We are focusing on the wrong matters Hokage-sama," Danzo spoke up, gaining the attention of Dan and his former teammates.

"What do you mean Danzo-san?" He asked, looking surprised.

"We shouldn't be worrying about rumours or how the world perceives us. That would be pointless at best and counterproductive at worst. What we should be focusing on is the future."

"The future?" Dan asked, not understanding what Danzo was trying to say.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. The Uchihas were one of the most powerful shinobi in our ranks. Their Dojutsu is unparalleled and we just lost everyone with the famed Sharingan. This is the second time in the past 8 years that our forces have taken a huge blow. We cannot let this go unresolved."

Dan processed Danzo's words for a moment before speaking up. He had to agree that Danzo had a point with his words though he didn't know what the former root leader's true motive behind them. "What you said is true Danzo-san. The Kyuubi attack and now the massacre did take a toll on the number of shinobi we have. The loss of Sharingan is another wound to our already beaten condition. Look's like you've put quite a thought into it. I'm assuming you also have a plan in mind to strengthen our ranks?"

"Yes. As I said, we cannot be caught up in the past and neglect the future. We cannot change the past but we most certainly can shape the future. That's exactly what I intend to do." Danzo said, choosing his words carefully. He knows that Dan doesn't trust him or the advisors for that matter. The Hokage dealing with them only because he has no other choice.

"And how exactly are you planning on doing that?" Dan asked, having a clue where Danzo was trying to go.

"Let me personally oversee the training of the 2 Uchiha boys. I will make sure that they realize their true potential. I've known Itachi well enough to understand the working of a Sharingan. I can help them-"

"That won't be necessary Danzo-san." Dan cut him off. "I appreciate your concern but I don't want to disturb you from your retirement," he said as he stared intently at the one-eyed man.

"Retirement is such a trivial notion for someone like me. I would be happy to do it if it means protecting the village Hokage-sama." Danzo replied, desperation getting the better of him. If he loses his chance now, he won't be getting another one again.

"As I already said, that won't be necessary Danzo." Dan cut loose the honorific making his intentions clear while the smile on his face masked any sort of hostility. " Not only that, but they are already a part of the Academy. We can't pull them out of there. We have a protocol created by Nidaime-sama in place, remember. You personally training them would come across as favouritism and I can't justify this action to other clan heads when they come knocking on my door."

He didn't show it on his face but Danzo internally cursed.

"But I can't deny your experience in bolstering ranks. Why don't you come up with a strategy to increase the current level of our existing shinobi? A training program maybe? Thank you." Dan said before pointing them the door.

Danzo along with the advisors got the message. They got up and bowed before heading out of the office.

'If you think I was going to let your claws rip apart the kids' future, you couldn't be any more wrong.' he thought as he sat down and stared at the closed door. He turned his attention towards the Photo of his predecessor and smiled melancholically. 'Don't worry Yondaime-sama. I will protect your legacy. That's the least I can do after what you did to protect this village.'

Dan never liked Danzo. He always had an odd sense of wariness around that man even before he discovered the dark truth that was hidden by his shadow. When he found out about root, he immediately shut it down and took over all its members under his command. The only reason he didn't take criminal action was that the truth would destroy the very foundation on which his village was built. He still doubted Danzo had people who are loyal only to himself in various branches of the Konoha. He knew about them but chose not to get rid of them.

Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

* * *

Naruto sat on the edge of the lake's pier and stared at his own reflection in the water. But he barely recognized the person he was seeing on the water's surface. He didn't know why he really hated that person. But no matter how much he tried to turn his gaze away, he couldn't. He didn't want to. He wanted to stare at the person and continue to feel the hatred brewing inside him.

'You lost them. You were helpless and you lost them. You couldn't do anything. Not one single thing. You were sleeping while tou-san and kaa-san were killed. You were dozing off when Itachi killed my parents. You were dreaming without a single care in the world while Sasuke went through hell. I hate you.' he thought, his anger barely restrained.

"I HATE YOU!" Naruto yelled at his own reflection, letting the tears he held back till now flow freely. He sobbed trying to stop his crying but with little success. "You...you are weak...and pathetic. I won't accept you!" he continued while seething at his reflection. His tears died down and for the first time, Naruto experienced what hatred felt like.

"I won't. I never will. You are nothing but a confused weakling who didn't even know why you wanted to be a shinobi. You're a stupid kid who read books because you thought it was fun. You trained because you wanted to be appreciated. You studied because you wanted to be recognized. You lived your life because you felt good about it. You are a selfish fool."

"But I'm not you. I may look like you but I'm not the same as you. I'm not confused like you are. I'm not foolish or selfish like you. No. You may have been a part of me but I won't accept you as such anymore. I reject you." He said, balling his fists.

"Unlike you, I know why I want to be shinobi. I lost my family and it hurts. It hurts so bad that I wish kaa-san was here. She knows how to make this pain go away. Though I know that she can't be, I can't help but wish the impossible. Nobody deserves to go through this. No kid should wish such impossible things. I'll make sure of that. I will become a shinobi and make sure such things won't happen so that no one else suffers as I do."

Naruto took a pebble and threw it across the lake like he usually does. It bounced for the first, second, third, fourth...and fifth time before sinking into the water. For the first time, the stone skipped five times on the water's surface. Naruto, now resolute to his new path, got up and started walking towards his new house.

Unknown to him, the pebble sank and reached the bottom of the lake and for the first time in over a year, a stone which he threw touched the floor.

* * *

Yamanaka Ino, the 8-year-old daughter of Yamanaka Inoichi, is confident, friendly, bold, outspoken and occasionally lashing out at others if their personal habits bother her. She is also prideful in her appearance and often tries to lose weight by dieting in the hopes that it will make her more attractive to boys.

Despite her assertiveness and uppity demeanour, Ino is a compassionate and kind person at heart, having been raised to embody the meaning of the bush clover: a blunt, candid love who treasures the bonds with her friends. It is these qualities that earned her Sakura Haruno's friendship, defending the pinkette from bullies who teased her and helping her become confident.

She is the most popular girl in the academy except for a small group of girls. Well, the group might not be so small. Almost every girl except Sakura hates her guts. But she was popular among the boys. Not many could brag that they didn't have their eyes on the young blonde.

But she had eyes on Uchiha Naruto. Just like half the girls in the academy. There are essentially three groups of girls. The fan club of Uchiha Naruto, the fan club of Uchiha Sasuke and the fan club of Kato Nao. The top three students of the academy. It was no wonder really if you think about it. I mean, the boys looked good, came from prestigious clans, were simply the best in whatever they did and most importantly didn't give a damn about these fan girls who mistook it for a cool attitude.

Not only Ino was a member of Naruto's fan club, but she was also the self-proclaimed and appointed president of it. She cheered for him whenever there was a Taijutsu or Shuriken practice, she wrote him her heartfelt confession letters and did all the typical fangirl stuff. That's what the world knows.

Unknown to the world, she keenly observed him. His eyes, his behaviour, his reactions; everything about him. It is through this observation that she could notice that Naruto somehow changed. Any 8-year-old would behave differently if he lost his parents. Death had that kind of effect. Although she didn't have such experiences, she wasn't stupid enough not to know that. If she was, then she didn't deserve the title of 'Best Kunoichi'.

But she wasn't talking about that. Although Naruto was never rude to anyone, he wasn't exactly friendly either, the only exception being his brother. He mostly kept to himself and talked to Sasuke and responded in one word answers to others. She figured he didn't need more than one word to communicate. Though he smiled a couple of times a day during the break, that was the extent of it.

But now, as she saw him smiling and laughing around the others, she knew something was wrong. One thing that she liked more about Naruto than his sharp looks was his smile. A small but soft smile which radiated warmth. But that was completely missing now. His eyes seemed as hollow as they could get.

'There's a smile on his lips but...it's not reaching his eyes. It looks so...forced.' She thought as she saw Shikamaru and Chouji talking to him. She literally had to force them both to go and talk to him. 'Stupid boys. Don't even know that they should console him and try to cheer him up after such a tragedy occurs.'

When Naruto's gaze fell on her, she immediately tensed up a little and turned away, facing her back to him. Her cheeks flushed instantly but she did her best to make sure no one noticed. 'You're better than this Ino. You approached him a number of times before. No need to be flustered just because he looked at you.' she thought before she slowly turned around to face him again.

He was still looking at her. Not outright staring but stealing a few glances in between the talks. This should've made butterflies run riot in her stomach. The sunlight should've blinded everyone around except her and him. Bells should've rung all over the town. But nothing of such sorts happened. Why? She didn't understand. The only thing she knew at that moment was the cerulean eyes she was staring into, looked void of everything.

She didn't like it. The way his empty eyes looked was a bitter sight to watch for her.

* * *

The worries for Uchiha Sasuke grew as the days progressed. It's been 3 months since he and Naruto moved into their new house and not one day did they both enter or leave it at the same time. Naruto usually wakes up earlier and leaves the house long before the Academy starts and comes home late every day. He didn't know for what purpose Naruto did that but he never asked.

Even he was very much the same a couple of months ago. He didn't feel like talking to anyone, not even Naruto. He just wanted to be left alone. Isolation. That's what he craved then. So that he could process the things that happened. So he could hate Itachi to his heart's content in peace. But as time progressed, he realised one thing. He can't just brood and expect to kill Itachi. No needed power. He needs to get strong. Stronger than Itachi. He needed to take his training more seriously than ever if he ever hoped to destroy the person that robbed him of his parents.

So he did exactly that. He trained at every chance he got. He studied hard. Harder than he thought it was possible. He rejected any and everything that wouldn't help him progress. He made himself immune from all the distractions. But in the process, without even realising, he distanced himself from Naruto. When he realised that, he wanted to change that immediately.

But it seemed too late for him. Naruto was never home. Even though they sat beside each other in the class, they never talked or even glanced at each other. He would vanish after classes and come home just in time for dinner. They talked only when it was necessary. He didn't want to force any talks. He just assumed Naruto too, like him, needed time to process and accept things.

'Naruto was probably the most attached one to kaa-san.' he thought. He remembered how Naruto used to hug their mother when he was happy or sad or scared. It didn't matter what the feeling was, Naruto used to share it with Mikoto.

But three months have passed since the tragedy and the situation only seemed to get worse. Though he of all people knew that they both could never move on from something like this, he wouldn't accept what was happening anymore. He was going to make things right today.

'It's bad enough that his grades are worsening. I don't want him to sink any further into depression or anything like that.' He looked at the wall clock and saw that it was 7:30 pm. 'Not too long before he comes back.'

As if on cue, the sound of a creaking door was heard and not long after, Naruto came into the hall where Sasuke was waiting for him. He looked at Sasuke for a moment before heading towards his room, his gaze fixed to the ground.

"Naruto. Where were you till now?" Sasuke asked, remaining exactly where he was.

Naruto stopped right in front of his room but didn't look up. "Nowhere. Just wanted to clear my mind, that's all."

"The past three months weren't enough for that?"

No response.

"Why did you botch the test last week?" Sasuke tried to steer the conversation down a different path seeing that he wasn't getting anything out of his brother.

"Who said I botched it?"

"You came 10th in the class. You really expect me to believe that you didn't do it on purpose?"

"I didn't study for the test. I didn't even train the past few months."

"I'm not stupid Naruto. I know you could ace the test even in your sleep." Sasuke sighed. He knew Naruto was lying but he couldn't say anything about it. Naruto never lied to Sasuke before. Ever. They were brothers. They used to share everything with each other.

He clearly remembered how they both used to argue over who had more fangirls in their class. Though it was irrelevant then and still is, it was painful to see how much the distance between them grew. All because of his big brother's selfish ambitions.

 _'Foolish otouto. I have acted like the nii-san you desired for only 1 reason. I wanted to discover how powerful you were. I needed to find a worthy opponent to test the limits of my own power. You have that unique potential. Now I've made you hate me. You have the desire to kill me, which is exactly why I'm going to let you live. Like me, you may be one of the few who can use Mangekyou Sharingan.'_

 _'Hate me and when you think you can kill me, come to me. Let's see how well your power of hatred can do against my own. But if you need another push, I won't mind it either. After all Naruto is still alive.'_

Itachi's words rang through his mind again. A wave of rage washed over him but most importantly, the fear of losing his only family member gripped him. He walked towards Naruto and Hugged him tightly.

"We're brothers Naruto. You're the only family I have left now. It's us against the world from now on. We can't be apart no matter what. And I promise to you that I'll protect you no matter what."

Naruto was surprised by his words and action. He didn't know what to say for a while. "You can't always protect me Sasuke. The world is too big for us to always be together."

"I can and I will. I will burn down the whole world if that's what is required. Because you're my brother."

Naruto didn't say a word. He just hugged Sasuke back. Naruto realised how much of a fool he was being. Here he was, looking for reasons to be a shinobi while he had the most important reason right in front of him. His brother. His last remaining family. He wasn't completely alone. As long as they were together, he could never be alone.

"Sorry." he slowly whispered. Sasuke released him from his embrace and looked straight into his eyes.

"Don't. The only person who should be sorry is Itachi. He will pay for what he did. His crimes won't go unpunished. I myself will kill him and avenge our parents."

Naruto could clearly see the anger in Sasuke's eyes. No. It wasn't even anger. It was pure rage. The resentment all too clear in those words. He simply nodded and followed Sasuke towards the dining table. He could feel the vengeance take the form of an ethereal cloak around Sasuke.

That's the moment he realised one thing. The path he wished to walk and the path Sasuke chose were completely different. Sasuke was hung up on past and embraced revenge. The desire to kill Itachi is what driving Sasuke. He, on the other hand, wanted to forget his past and move on from it. He wants to make sure that no one else suffers as he did.

'It's not us against the world Sasuke. It should be us for this world.' he thought but he couldn't say it out loud. How could he? Sasuke just said he would burn the world for him. He couldn't just say he didn't believe in revenge in front of Sasuke. At least, not now.

One day maybe.

* * *

 **4 years later.**

Just another hectic day at the office for Shizune. Or maybe not. It was extra hectic today. Not only did she have to filter the mission reports and arrange them according to their priority, not only she had to make sure her uncle's schedule was perfect and not only she had to do every other thing she usually did every day as the Hokage's assistant, but she also had to compile the list of the new academy graduates so that her uncle would sort them into teams. She really had her work cut out for her today.

'At this rate, I'm gonna mess up Oji-san's schedule.' She thought to herself as she scrambled through the heap of papers on her desk. Her attempt at trying to rearrange them was sloppy at best. Not that she wasn't capable or unfocused. Quite the opposite actually. She took her work very seriously. She worked harder than everyone around and made their work easier without even realising it.

But any person can have a bad day. Unfortunately, her's happened to be today. It started with her alarm not ringing on time. Then her sink pipe decided to leak and make her place a complete mess. That's when she decided to head to work as she had more work on her plate than usual and didn't have the time or energy to deal with her apartment's problems. When she reached her desk, there were papers neatly stacked against on it according to their field and priority. But that didn't last long when as a gust of wind blew the next second she opened the door turned her office into a cube full of flying documents.

'Definitely not my day.' She thought as she finally managed to gather the documents and arrange them properly. She then took all the necessary documents and started making her way towards the Hokage's office. She wasn't going let her be the reason why work was delayed. She carried the stack rather carefully, not wanting to swamp the floor of the corridor with papers.

When she finally reached the office, she knocked on the door twice before letting herself in. The first thing she saw when she entered the room was there were two people instead of one.

"Tsunade-sama! What are you doing here?" She asked, surprise evident on her face.

"How many times have I told you to stop with that sama bullshit Shizune? We are family." Tsunade replied.

"But you are my master. You taught me everything I know and raised me. I can't be disrespectful!"

"Ughh.."Tsunade just rolled her eyes.

"Shizune-chan. You don't have to so formal about this." Dan said.

"But-"

"No buts. Now, what do we have today?"

Shizune hurriedly walked over towards the desk and placed the first stack of documents. "These are the mission reports we received yesterday. Only B-rank or higher. The rest can be dealt with later." She placed another stack on the desk, this a little thinner than the previous. "This the list of academy graduates and the last page contains the Jonin available to take up squads. This is your morning schedule. I'll get the rest of the work after lunch hour. Have a good day." She concluded with a cheerful smile and hopped out of the office.

Dan looked at the work before him with an impending sense of doom hovering his mind. "How could she be so cheerful after dumping this workload on me?"

"Now now, dear. Isn't that why I'm here for today? To help you?" Tsunade said as she placed a kiss on her husband's cheek.

Dan's lip curled up into a smile. He didn't know what she had in them but everytime her lips touched him, he instantly felt alive and rejuvenated. "Well, better get to work before I get too distracted. I don't want your presence to be counter-productive." Dan replied with a smug smile.

"In your dreams," Tsunade replied before leaning across the table to get a stack. "First, let's place these brats into their teams."

That's when something stuck inside Dan's head. "I see now. You offered to help only because you wanted to know which team Shizuka will be placed in. I should've guessed."

"Come on dear. You make me look a person who has ulterior motives. You know that I'm not." Tsunade was trying to her smile but wasn't able to do a good job.

"Yeah right." The smile on her face gave her away. Dan knew very well how much Tsunade cared for her deceased brother's daughter. Hell, the whole village knew about it. That's the reason why no one ever dared to even think ill of Shizuka despite her being the Jhinchuriki of the Kyuubi. "Even our Son is in this batch if you forgot."

"I didn't forget him. I'm just not worried about him. He'll be fine anywhere. I have enough confidence in him. But Shizuka is a different case." Tsunade face sported a look of worry when she said the last sentence which wasn't missed by Dan.

"Don't worry. We'll make sure nothing will happen, okay?" He said, rubbing his wife's shoulder in an effort to comfort her. She just nodded silently in response. "Alright. Let's begin then. First things first. Rookie of the year."

* * *

 **The next day**

Yamanaka Sesshomaru was walking through the streets of Konoha. His destination? The Academy. His reason? He was assigned a genin team. He mentally facepalmed at that thought. 'Why would the Godaime do this? Why me of all people?' he thought as he kept walking. The Academy's entrance was visible to him now and his reluctance to accept the responsibility only grew with each step.

Sesshomaru is a tall, lean-built man with light skin, diamond shaped face and grey eyes. He had medium length messy platinum blond hair which ended at his shoulder, with strands framing the sides of the face and has a chin stubble. His forehead was covered with his Hitai-ate. He wore the usual Jonin uniform with a sheathed sword strapped to his back.

Though usually a laid-back, optimistic, jovial, humble and eccentric man, Sesshomaru shows a deceptively cunning and serious side when the situation warrants it. That's what others would say about him. But according to him, he's just a mere honest, handsome, humble ninja.

He stopped at the Academy's gate and looked at the building. 'I hated this place. I did my best to get out of here as soon as I can as a student and pledged I would never set my foot back in. But here I am anyway. Damn the chain of command.' He sighed and glanced down. 'But orders are orders.' he thought with a shrug and entered the building.

He kept walking within the halls of the academy and soon he heard a faint voice from a distance. As he kept walking towards the room from which the voice was heard, the voice kept becoming clearer.

"Team 5: ..." The voice announced from inside the room.

'Looks like I'm right on time. The voice sounds familiar too. Who could it be?'

"Team 6-" Iruka said before he was interrupted by the opening of the classroom door. Everyone in the class including him turned their faces to look at the newcomer.

"Ah yes. I thought it was you Umino-san. Nice to see you." Sesshomaru said. He sported a smile which radiated excitement.

Iruka was literally gaping at the Yamanaka's presence. The papers slipped through his hands and hit the floor and he didn't even notice that. He kept staring with wide eyes at the blonde man and noticed his lips were moving but he couldn't hear a sound. It took him a few moments to recover his composure. "Y-Yamanaka-san. Wh-what are y-you doing here?" Iruka stuttering was proof of his shock.

"Me?" Sesshomaru asked while pointing towards himself. "I'm here to pick up my team. Squad 6?"

"Squad 6? You were assigned a genin team?" Iruka's shock only grew bigger.

"Yes. Hokage-sama's orders. Can't refuse." Sesshomaru shrugged.

"Yes. Yes. Hokage-sama's orders." Iruka looked flustered. Too much information to process while he was still recovering from the shock of the man's presence. "You said your team was 6, right?" Iruka asked as he started to pick up the papers from the floor and search for team 6.

"Don't bother Iruka-san." He said before turning to face the students in the room. "Kato Nao, Uchiha Naruto and Senju Shizuka. Let's get out of here." he said and promptly made his exit. The three mentioned genin just glanced at each other.

Naruto looked as indifferent as ever. It didn't matter to him whom his teammates were. Everyone except Sasuke was the same to him. He would just smile at them when required and keep the socializing as minimum as possible without drawing too much attention. That's one thing he didn't want. Attention.

Nao sneered at Naruto for being so indifferent. 'That guy...Acting all high and mighty. What does he think of himself? Hn. Doesn't matter. He's just a mediocre.' A smug smile crept up his face.

Shizuka looked annoyed. She was borderline pissed. She was stuck with the two people whom she finds the most annoying apart from Uchiha Sasuke. And the other boys in her class. And girls too. Basically, she found everyone in her class annoying.

"Go follow your sensei you fools," Iruka yelled with his patented big head jutsu.

Three of them stood up from their places and walked out of the class. Sesshomaru was waiting for them outside the room when they appeared in the hallway. Without a word, he turned on his heel and started walking. The three genin silently followed him not knowing any better.

Sesshomaru was walking through the streets of Konoha, humming a jovial tune to himself, followed by three children who sported three different looks. Nao was glaring daggers at the man. Naruto looked as indifferent as ever, not caring much where he was being led to.

But Shizuka was confused. She wasn't sure how she was feeling about the man who was leading them right now. A part of her was thinking the man was crazy. Another part of her wanted to call him out and demand an explanation which she would've done by now if not for the feeling the last part of her felt. A gripping feeling made her uncomfortable at the mere thought of crossing paths with the man. A feeling which she never felt before.

What was it? Was it fear? I couldn't be. She felt fear many times before. Her Surrogate mother/ aunt was downright scary when she wanted to be. No. This went past fear. This sensation was something that had managed to change her usual carefree and bratty demeanour. Although she never felt it before, she knew what it was. Dread.

Yes. An overwhelming feeling of heightened self-awareness and caution fuelled by apprehension was what she was feeling. And dread was the only word she could find to describe that feeling.

Her thoughts came to halt when she noticed her sensei and the others stopped. She noticed they were on the edge of a cliff. She glanced around and realised it wasn't any random cliff-edge they were standing on. It was...

'Nakano river.' Naruto thought. 'This is where Shisui nii-san committed suicide.' Naruto's expression change from indifferent to forlorn but forced himself to remain passive. At least from the outside. There were a lot of memories for him here. He used to watch Itachi and Shisui spar here every now and then. There is where Shisui even taught him a few lessons. A lot of memories indeed.

But after Shisui's suicide, this place became somewhat of an unconsecrated place. No one visited this place anymore. No one except him. For him, it was his sanctuary. A place where he could escape the reality and relive his fond memories. He knew there's no true escape from reality but the momentary peace this place bought him was the only thing that kept him going all these days.

Nao looked fascinated. This was his first time here. He knew about this place but never came around. He avoided this side of the village since most lands around here were once owned by the Uchihas. The last thing he wanted was to roam around the Uchihas. He always thought that even the place where they lived would look bleak and lifeless, just like their faces. But this place has shattered his misconception.

There was a cool breeze flowing. The trees provided shade if someone fancied that. The clearing was huge. 'This is a perfect place to train.' Nao thought. He had a satisfied smirk on his face.

Shizuka could care less about the place. She was still stuck with the odd feeling. The aura Sesshomaru emitted was disturbing her a lot. But why? She didn't have an answer for that. She looked at Nao who was smirking like an idiot. She glanced at Naruto who looked like he couldn't care less. Why was she the only one who was feeling this then? Somehow, the man's outward behaviour didn't match the vibe he was giving off.

Sesshomaru was smiling looking at the reactions of his new students. "Like what you see?" His words caught the attention of all three genin who were looking at him expectantly. That confused him. 'What's the deal with these kids? I knew they weren't normal by any means but this is...this is going to be harder than I thought.' He sighed and shook his head.

"Ok. You're probably wondering who I am and why we are here and all. So we'll do introductions first. Let's start with me." When he saw that no one looked like they had a problem with what he said, he continued.

"I'm Yamanaka Sesshomaru and I was appointed as your Jonin sensei," he said with a warm smile. "Now you go."

"You took this job rather reluctantly, didn't you?" Naruto said with no hint of emotion in his voice.

"What made you come to that conclusion?" Sesshomaru asked, the smile still present on his face. He was intrigued to know how Naruto found that.

"You said you were appointed as our sensei. Anyone who's interested in the job would say 'I'm going to be your sensei or I'm your new sensei'. You didn't associate yourself with the job irrespective of your involvement in the decision which conveys your lack of interest."

"Perceptive. Just what I'd expect from the prodigy of the Uchiha clan. No wonder my niece doesn't shut up about you." His smile only grew bigger. 'I'll have to watch out for this one. If he could deduce that just from the way I speak, he'll be real pain in the ass later.' he thought.

Nao scoffed at that. "Prodigy? Him?". He chuckled mirthlessly.

"I didn't know what I said was funny. But I think the genius son of Godaime Hokage would surely know better than a seasoned Jonin." Sesshomaru said. But the patronizing tone with which he said those words spoke a different story. His eyes narrowed and the smile faltered immediately.

Nao was taken back by that response. The way he said those words was more like a challenge than an admission. Something told him not to mess around with the man if wanted to go home safe. He was the Hokage's only son and no one in their right minds would mess with him. But this man in front of him looked like he didn't two shits who Nao's parents were. He could be the daimyo's son for all he cares but the man wouldn't hesitate a second to prove who was in command here.

Nao visibly gulped. The menacing look in Sesshomaru's face wiped out any trace of smugness Nao previously had. "I-I didn't mean it that way...Sensei. I was...I-"

"Oh stop fretting. I was just messing with ya." Sesshomaru replied, the huge grin back on his face. He might have said that but Nao was no fool to believe that. He was never going to speak up against his sensei no matter what.

"Anyway, let's see.." He took a file and started going through it. Where it came from, no one knew. "Kato Nao. 2nd in class. Proficient in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. Not bad in genjutsu. It seems you obviously know your tools well too." He winked before laughing at the confused faces of three in front of him. "Don't tell your parents I said that."

Nao nodded his head though he didn't understand what he was not supposed to say. 'Hell, I won't say a thing about any of this.' he thought.

"Moving on. Uchiha Naruto. Hailed as a prodigy like no one ever before in the first year of the academy. Even considered for early graduation before that went down the drain along with your grades." He flipped the page of the file. "Moderate in all fields. I'm not sure if it was pure luck for you in the first year or the later years were a period of wasted potential. What a shame."

Naruto eyed Sesshomaru carefully while the latter was reading out the file. The pale blond hair was a total mess. It couldn't look any more dishevelled. But his Hitai-ate was scratchless. As good as a new one. His attire was neat. No wrinkles at all. A sign of neatly folded clothes. The chin stubble looked like more of a fashion statement rather a result of negligence or unkemptness.

'What does his appearance tell you? His clothes aren't neat because he's worried about his looks. No. It's more out of habit. No...discipline. Former ANBU maybe? That would explain his reluctance in taking up his job. They hate human interaction more than anything. But his carefree behaviour doesn't resonate with that. Something's off.' Naruto thought, trying to analyze his new sensei.

"Maybe it's just luck." Naruto shrugged off without any hesitation.

"Uh huh." The blond nodded but his skepticism was all too clear.

"Last but not least, Senju Shizuka. Well technically, you're the second last in your class. You managed to barely pass in the exam. Oh, you're good at Taijutsu. That's a point in your favour. Well, that was to be expected when you're raised by one of the Sannin and the strongest Kunoichi ever. Disappointing." He said as he closed the file.

Shizuka had to bite back her reply. If it wasn't for her apprehension, she would've given a demonstration of exactly how good she was at Taijutsu.

"That's what this file says about you." He said as he waved the file in front of them. Suddenly he threw the file back into the river. The three of them were surprised by this action. They didn't expect their reports to be thrown away like they meant nothing.

"I don't care what it says. I don't care how or what you were in the academy. Those days are over. You are not academy students anymore. You are genin now. A true ninja. But do you three have what it takes to be that?" Sesshomaru was serious. The smile disappeared from his face. His face was as stern as possible. His voice didn't betray his emotion as well. The Jovial carefree tone was gone.

That was the moment the three genin knew that the road ahead for them was going to be hell.

* * *

Tsunade slumped down on her sofa as soon as she reached her home. The soft cushions felt like they were made of clouds. Her back sunk into them. She arched her back and heard a crunching noise. It was heaven.

Dan followed the same suite. They just lay there on the couch with their eyes closed, enjoying the silence in peace. No words were spoken. After a busy and tiring day at work, this was what kept them from going insane. A dip in the hot springs would've been better but for that, they had to walk to the other end of the village. The thought itself was exhausting for the power couple.

Tsunade opened her eyes and tilted her head to look at her husband and decided to break the silence. "Do you think it was wise to assign Sesshomaru-san as their sensei?" Dan just took a deep breath in response.

"I mean, don't get me wrong. I don't doubt his ability as a shinobi or trust as a person and a friend but...Is he the right man for the job? Given his history and all." She stared at the ceiling while talking, getting lost in thoughts, imagining the worst case scenario of the situation.

"Training is not a new thing for him. He has lots of experience in that field. He might be a little extreme sometimes but he won't hurt anyone. Plus with Jiraiya-san not around, he's the only one who can keep an eye on Shizuka properly. There's also that connection he has with Naruto. So... " he said and moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her. "Why don't you stop worrying about it. Everything will be fine." He kissed her on the forehead. She just smiled contently and snuggled closer in his embrace.

* * *

Sesshomaru was walking back to his house with a satisfied grin plastered to his face. His spirits were never higher. 'It is always great to break in the newbies.' he thought as he had to suppress a giggle. He remembered how they kept complaining about how exhausted they were before he even got to the main part of the first drill. 'If they think today was hell, they're going to cry tomorrow.' He smiled to himself silly and kept walking as the civilians chose to ignore him.

But Naruto's behaviour caught his attention the most. He didn't complain even one time. Even when he was completely drained, he remained silent. Not a word. 'That's very odd considering who his-'

"Sesshomaru-san."

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when he turned around to see who was calling him. A smile formed when he noticed who that person was. He recognized him instantly. Who wouldn't when it was the famous Hatake Kakashi.

"Ah...Kakashi-kun. Nice seeing you here, in this part of the town again." He said as he approached the masked ninja.

"The pleasure is mine sensei." He said with his trademark eye crinkle smile.

That surprised the blond man. "Sensei? What are you up to Kakashi-kun? You haven't called me that in-"

"In 12 years. I know." Kakashi's expression darkened which didn't go unnoticed by Sesshomaru.

"So what it is that you want from me?"

"First of all, congratulations on getting a team. Heard it was a very...exciting trio." Kakashi said, choosing his words carefully.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"News travels fast in the Jonin lounge." Kakashi explained with a shoulder shrug.

"Promising, certainly. But wasn't it you who got the best team? The legendary team 7." Sesshomaru subtly taunted.

"Well...that's why I am here."

"Come on Kakashi. You shouldn't be complaining after bagging the rookie of the year. Uchiha Sasuke if I remember right."

"I also got stuck with a pink haired dead last who is more interesting in becoming the wife of the said rookie of the year rather being a Kunoichi. But neither of them is the issue here. It's the third one."

Sesshomaru knew where this conversation was heading towards and smiled. He did expect Kakashi to reach him when he took a look all the team rosters. 'He noticed on the very first day, huh? Not bad Kakashi-kun.' he thought and smiled. "Wow. A fresh genin troubling the infamous copy ninja? That's one thing I never thought I would hear." He said with a chuckle but he saw that Kakashi found no humour in that.

"I need to know what kind of a person he is sensei. Please. It'll be a disaster otherwise. Nothing good can come when Danzo-san is getting involved."

Sesshomaru found Kakashi's words dampen his mood but he couldn't deny the truth in them. Especially the last sentence.

"Alright Kakashi. But don't expect more of these in future. I'm sharing confidential information here. I'm breaking the protocol because I know you." Sesshomaru said with a low voice. He looked around to see if anyone was near them to make sure no one accidentally eavesdrops on their conversation.

"His name is Sai as you already know it. He's been drafted into the root at a very young age. This happened even before Hokage-sama took root under him. So I'm not sure where his loyalty lies exactly. He might be working for Danzo so I suggest you be cautious around him. But make sure to be discreet about it. Don't make it too obvious that you are suspecting him. That's all I can tell you about."

"But why would Danzo spy on me?" Kakashi asked, genuinely confused.

"Don't flatter yourself Kakashi. It's not you that he wants. It's Uchiha kid on your team."

"But why?"

Sesshomaru was about to reply when he saw a person walking towards them. He stayed silent and smiled at the man and waited till he was out of their zone. "The official reason to protect that kid. You know, with him being the last loyal Uchiha with a Sharingan in the village. Especially since Naruto hasn't even awakened his Sharingan yet. I don't know how but he even convinced Hokage-sama into doing this. A political favor is my best guess. But we both know what kind of a man Danzo is. He must some plan in his mind. I suggest you watch out for that kid. Given the kid's trauma, Danzo might be planning to use that to manipulate him."

Kakashi stayed silent for a second nodding to himself and processing the new information. "Thank you Sesshomaru-san."

"Don't mention it kiddo. Be safe." Sesshomaru said before turning around and continuing on his way to home.

* * *

 **A/N: A few OC's in this chapter. I know it is a little confusing but bear with me. Will try updating the next sooner than this time.**


	4. Chapter 4

The alarm rang and Naruto's eyes opened immediately. He shut the alarm, got out of the bed and made his way towards the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, took a bath and got dressed.

He ate some breakfast along with Sasuke before both of them left to their respective teams' assigned meeting place. He met with Nao, Shizuka and their sensei, Sesshomaru, before heading to the missions desk and receiving their daily D-rank mission. Then Sesshomaru worked them to their bone with his insane amount of physical training until they all almost dropped dead. He came back home in the evening, talked to Sasuke about his day while having dinner and went to bed. The cycle repeats the next morning.

This was his routine for the past month. His schedule since the day he became a genin. He learned a few things after he became a genin. First, his sensei was a slave driver. He would make them do the most insane physical drill that would leave them gasping for breath by the end of it. Sesshomaru's aloof attitude was the exact opposite of his work ethic. Second, D-rank missions were nothing but domestic chores, like running around the village trying to catch a cat.

The first thing didn't bother him much though his body ached like hell somedays. But the second, it made him restless at nights. Thoughts would haunt him, question him, drive him crazy. His habit of thinking too much when left alone was turning into a bane. He would struggle to sleep when that happens even when his body was begging for rest. This was one of such nights.

'All I do is help old people do their household work. This is not what a shinobi is supposed to do. This is not why _I_ became a ninja. I became a ninja to protect the people from danger. To save lives when necessary. To prevent them from feeling the pain of losing their loved ones.' he thought while turning around on his bed.

'I'm just wasting my time doing all this. Wasting the one thing I can't afford to lose at this point. Time.' He looked at the alarm clock which was on his bedside table. He watched as the second's hand kept rotating. The more he watched it moving, the slower it seemed to move. After staring at the clock for what it seemed an eternity, his physical exhaustion won over his mind and he drifted into a slumber.

* * *

Naruto was standing in front of the mission desk along with Nao and Shizuka while Sesshomaru was handing away the missing cat to the client, the daimyo's wife apparently, along with mission report to the person sitting behind the mission desk. Naruto had his hands in his pockets and was staring at the side wall with no particular interest. Nao looked pissed with scratches all over his face while Shizuka was trying her best not to laugh at her cousin's face.

"That finishes our quota for the day I assume?" Sesshomaru asked the woman behind the desk. There was a certain suave in the way he asked the question and coupled with the wink he just threw at her after the question, the poor woman couldn't help but blush and giggle like a little girl.

Naruto and the others noticed this and only one question rang through their minds. 'Is he seriously flirting with her?' Even Naruto, who usually wouldn't care for such things looked he would sweatdrop if it continued any longer. To their viewing displeasure, it continued. For quite a while.

Sesshomaru was enjoying himself. He was proud he could still elicit such reactions from women. 'Still haven't lost my charm.' he thought with a proud smirk. He was so lost in this little game of casual flirting he didn't notice the presence that was behind him. But that didn't last long though. The shock on the woman's face and the sudden change in her behaviour prompted him to turn around to see what caused her to act that way. He came to face to face with the Hokage himself.

'I don't blame the poor woman now.' he thought as he stood straight. "Hokage-sama." He greeted with a courteous nod of his head.

"Still haven't lost your charm I see Sesshomaru-san." Dan said in a rather chirpier tone. He was never a dull or serious person but this tone was too frolicsome even for him.

"You're too generous, Hokage-sama. You give me credit for things I didn't even know about. Though I'm not sure what you implied just before, I'm curious, what brought the Hokage himself down here?"

"Sly as ever too. But you can't slither away from my grasp as easily as you slithered away from the mission."

Sesshomaru sighed in exasperation. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, we both know it's waste of time for me and my team doing those chores."

"We've had too many extra D-rank requests this month. I know your team completed the mandatory 30 D-ranks but I could use some extra help to clear the list. Plus, I don't' think I need to remind you of the importance of D-ranks. They help new genin grow as a team while the interpersonal understanding builds up." Dan said moving close to Sesshomaru so that their conversation wouldn't be heard by any others.

"Usually, yes Hokage-sama. But we both know this isn't a usual team. Nothing about these three are ordinary. Not their skills, their attitude or their outlook. They can only grow by seeing and experiencing things. Not by doing household works. D-ranks are a waste of time for this team. I'm not telling this to escape work. It's a calculated report after observing them for a month."

Dan just looked at him with his eyes narrowed just a little. He looked uncertain on how to respond. He was inclined not to believe the ever aloof Sesshomaru but he could also never refute the opinion of one of Konoha's best shinobi. But he was uncertain which one was speaking to him.

"Hokage-sama, if I wanted to escape work, I would've accepted the D-ranks. I wouldn't be asking for something which would require me to actually do something."

Dan was taken for a second. Sesshomaru spoke like he read his mind. But the shock didn't last long though. A faint smile crept up his face. 'Of course. It's Sesshomaru I'm dealing with. It'd be foolish not to expect something like this from him.' he thought.

"Fine, Sesshomaru-san. I'll grant your request. I'll assign your team a C-rank. A team of 4 Chunin went to take out a bandit camp located 70 kms south of Konoha. They requested a backup squad to assist them in the cleanup."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Sesshomaru said with a smile and a bow.

"First Kakashi-kun, now you. I'm telling you, this job is getting difficult each day." Dan said as he turned around.

"Kakashi? What did he do?" Sesshomaru was genuinely curious.

"Exactly what you did. Just more subtle. I had to send them on an escort mission to the land of waves." Dan said before waving at his son and Shizuka.

Nao was excited. "Goodbye, Tou-chan! I'll see you at home tonight." he said enthusiastically while waving his hand. His face-splitting grin was wiped out when he received a smack on his head, courtesy of Sesshomaru.

"Hey! What'd you do that for sensei?" He asked as he rubbed his back with a scowl.

"As long as you're on duty, he's not your father and you're not his son. He's the Hokage and you'll address him as such. Do well to remember that."

Dan just watched the exchange and walked out of the room while smiling. His son was in good care though it wasn't pretty.

"Oh yeah? You're the one to talk. Flirting with women while on duty." Nao said and huffed while folding his hands over his chest.

"That's a different thing, Gaki." Sesshomaru replied, smirk returning to face. "It's a great feeling when you can make a woman smile using your charm. They are these delicate creatures who are to be treasured and loved. I'm sure even an idiot like you would agree with me on that." he said as he started walking outside the building.

"What? Why would I do that? Stop with that nonsense before I start puking out of revulsion."

Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks and stared at Nao with an unreadable expression. "Seriously? I thought you and Naruto would be drowning in a sea of girls given how you two look."

Naruto just raised his eyebrow questioningly. Nao scoffed. "I'd rather choke myself to death."

This time, Shizuka was the one who bonked Nao on the head.

"You boys need to grow up. A lot." Sesshomaru said with a shake of his head as they headed towards the training ground.

"Just say you're a pervert." Nao muttered silently as he, Naruto and Shizuka followed their sensei for another session of hell's drill.

Next day

Naruto hopped from one branch to another in the forest outside of Konoha. To his right was Shizuka who was moving parallel to him with a rather pleasant expression on her face. It might be his first time seeing her not scowling or making a lot of noise. In front was Nao who seemed rather pleased with the formation and his position in it. Sesshomaru was at the back guarding the rear.

They had started for their first C-rank mission this morning and were travelling for the past hour or so. 'It won't be long before we reach the campsite.' Naruto thought as he continued hopping. Sesshomaru had briefed them on what the mission parameters are and what is their role in this mission. He also told them to expect a lot of corpses. Nao and Shizuka looked a little shaken when told first but it didn't take them long to steel their gut. Naruto, on the other hand, displayed no outward emotion whatsoever. It's not like he has never seen a bunch of dead bodies lying in a pool of their own blood.

But he would be lying if he said it didn't trigger his memory about that night. The trauma caused by it still haunts him to this day in his sleep. A part of him was afraid he'd lose his composure when he comes across the familiar sight of corpses. But another part was resolved more than ever to finish this mission successfully. This might be his chance to get over the trauma. Death was a part of his lifestyle now. He's a ninja. He cannot be affected every time he sees a dead body.

He was so lost in those thoughts he didn't notice until the very last moment that they had reached the campsite. It could be seen from at a distance with their naked eye. On Seshhomaru's orders, all three flopped down onto the ground and started walking towards the entrance.

To be frank, there was no particular entrance. The campsite wasn't even big enough for the bandits to build a temporary wall or a gate. It was just a bunch of canvas tents on either side of a mud path left for walking. It looked this was supposed to be a temporary setup than a permanent base for the bandits.

But the part that caught the attention of all four was that it was almost burnt to the ground. It was a pile of ashes and rubble in place of a campsite. Very few tents were still standing and those too had no cover.

As they moved closer, a rotting smell hit their noses. The genin immediately closed their noses while Sesshomaru didn't give any heed at all. He kept walking in front of the three examining the campsite and all he found was dead bodies. Burnt and charred to a crisp beyond recognition.

The genin weren't expecting this when they entered the burnt area. The scenes of burnt flesh melting off of bones and decapitated limbs were too much for them. The gory scenes and the foul stench got to Shizuka first. She ran out of the camp and started disgorging her morning breakfast. Nao followed her to make sure she would be alright. He himself wasn't feeling great. His head was feeling heavy and his gut was starting to act up.

Naruto too was in similar condition. He still had his hands over his nose trying not to inhale too much of the malodor. Suddenly something caught his eye. A streak of sunlight from the gaps in forest canopy was being reflected off a small surface. He went close to it tried to pick it up. But his hand retracted on reflex the moment he touched the thing. He winced in pain as the burning sensation flowed through his fingers. 'Definitely something made up of metal.'

He took out his Kunai and slowly cleared the rubble on top of the shiny metal patch. As he was clearing, he noticed the metal plate had something engraved on it. He scratched a little more and his eyes widened when he saw exactly what was engraved on it. The symbol of a leaf. It was a Konoha headband.

* * *

Hi no Kuni is filled with thick forests all over. The only parts not covered in tall trees are the towns which it houses. These forests make hiding rather easy for anyone, especially ninjas. So it's no wonder that the present two ninjas chose one of the forests in fire nation as their secret meeting spot. If anyone were to find them now, it would completely shatter their plans which they have been working on for the past 4 years. Of course, if someone was unlucky enough to actually spot them, they would take care of it rather easily but it would be too bothersome that way.

"Did anyone tag along with you?" Asked the man in olive Kimono and red haori.

"No. I came alone." Came the flat reply.

"So? What was so important that you requested this impromptu meet?" There was a hint of impatience in the man's voice. By the sound of it, he sounded like he would be in his late 40's.

"The activity inside has been increasing recently. I still have no information what their true intentions are but they reach far beyond a mere mercenary group. Something big is gonna take place in the near future. I just wanted to warn you so that you'd pass on this information to the right people."

"What do you mean by that? I need some specifics." The man's tone turned serious.

"Unfortunately, I don't have them right now. The only thing I know for sure is that _those two_ have been meeting a lot lately. If I have to take a guess, a new recruit maybe. But if _he's_ involved in it, then I'm sure it's no ordinary recruit."

"Are any of you guys ordinary for that matter?"

No reply.

"Thanks for the info. You went to great lengths and took a lot of risks to make this happen. I'll be sure to make good use of this."

"It's my duty. I must leave now. I can't stay any longer without avoiding any suspicion."

The white-haired man just nodded in return. Taking this as the cue, the guy in the black cloak disappeared with a burst of crows.

* * *

Sesshomaru examined the metal headband which obviously belonged to a Konoha shinobi. This was the third one he found after Naruto found the first one. 'That makes it 4.' he thought as he dropped the plate back onto the ground. He stared at the ground interestingly for a few seconds, trying to make a sense of the marks on it, before a grim realisation washed over him.

"Anything else?" he yelled towards Naruto and Nao. They were searching for any other headbands or clues that might help them. But all they found was ashes, burnt wood and blood.

"No sensei," Nao yelled back while Naruto just shook his head. Shizuka was still recovering from her condition. She was resting under a tree just outside the camp where the stench was a little bearable.

'So 4 Konoha headbands huh? Must belong to those 4 Chunin who were sent earlier to take out the camp. But instead, they got taken out. Then who requested the assistance?' he thought as he started to walk out of the graveyard turned camp. He was silently followed by Naruto and Nao. 'That must be it.' He came to a conclusion based on the facts he knew and the condition he saw.

"What do you think happened?" Sesshomaru asked the boys following him without turning back. He kept walking with his hands folded behind his head, head raised and gazing upon the canopy of the forest where sunlight struggled to pass through.

Naruto and Nao blinked and glanced at each other before staring at their sensei's back.

"Yes. I'm asking you both. What do you guys think happened over there?" he repeated his question, this time showing a hint of annoyance.

"Uhh….I don't know. 4 Konoha shinobi and 20 others got roasted to their _deaths_?" Nao replied without holding back on the sarcasm. He was miffed at how uncaring his sensei was after seeing the mini necropolis. Even the usually indifferent Naruto looked bothered.

Sesshomaru didn't mind the boy's reaction. It just went on to show that Nao was actually a decent guy despite his arrogance sometimes. "You lack imagination, boy. Naruto, what do you think?"

Naruto was quiet for a moment. He had a theory in his mind on what could've happened. He was just hesitant to say it. Because if his theory was indeed true, then it meant they were in a lot of trouble. "I think the headbands belong to the team that was here before us. Most of the other people who were found dead near the edge of the tents must've been bandits. I assume that they were tied and being held by the team until the backup, i.e; we arrived. But before we made it here, they were ambushed by someone else. I'm not sure who but my best guess would be a group of mercenaries or rogue ninja, seeing the extent of the damage caused."

Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks and glanced at Naruto. "Not bad." he drawled in amusement. "Not bad at all. You are right. For most of the part anyway. You see, they were ambushed alright, but not by mercenaries or nukenins. If it were them, they would've stolen the money and any resources they could get their hands on. And I wouldn't have found this," he said bringing some coins from his pocket. They were gold coins and thicker than usual. None of them recognized these coins. 'Definitely not from Hi no Kuni.' the boys thought.

"This proves that the motive behind that massacre wasn't money. No. Whoever did this wanted them all dead. Plain and simple. But who could it be?" Sesshomaru's question sounded more to himself than the boys in front of him. Sesshomaru pondered on his question for quite some time.

"You boys take Shizuka-chan and head to the village. Nao," he faced the said person as he kept talking. " Go to the Hokage-sama and report what we found. Tell him I requested a team comprising of 3 or 4 chunin to rendezvous with me here. Hurry."

"But sensei! This our mission. We can't let our first major mission be a failure. We'll be back to doing D-ranks if we go back to the village now." Nao argued.

Sesshomaru sighed. "Nao, this is not the time. Don't let your pride overtake your sense of reasoning. This is not a C-rank anymore. This is easily A-rank. We are dealing with a bunch of murderers here. You guys aren't cut out this."

"Who are you to decide what we can and cannot do?" Nao raised his voice.

"I'm your sensei god dammit and this is an order. Now stop stop yelling and just do as I say." The Yamanaka didn't hold back either. He expected Nao to yell back at him but that didn't happen.

"Are you?" Nao whispered. His hair shadowed his eyes.

"What?" Sesshomaru was confused.

"Are you really our sensei?" Nao raised his head and one could see a look of disapproval in his eyes. A feeling bordering loathing started to bubble inside the 12-year-old. "You don't even believe in us, do you? We are just a burden to you, aren't we?"

Sesshomaru sighed. He understood what was going through the boy's head. Nao took Sesshomaru's aloof attitude as negligence and disregard towards them."Nao, look, this isn't a matter of belief or trust. This is a matter of life and death. I cannot risk your lives." He said in a soft and concerning tone.

"Then we'll overcome it. Isn't that what growth means? To overcome obstacles that seem impossible?" Nao replied. The way he said it and the look in his eyes told that he meant every word he said and was willing to go to any lengths to prove it.

"Nao is right, sensei. I believe you took up this mission for a purpose. To let us grow by seeing and experiencing things. This might not be what we signed up for but I don't wanna back down after getting this far either." Naruto spoke up. He too looked determined. There was a fire in his usually blank eyes. His eyes reflected what his heart truly felt. A thirst to prove himself. Not to others but to himself.

"Not you too, Naruto-kun." Sesshomaru sighed and shook his head. His austere face scowling in displeasure. "Think about Shizuka-chan."

"I think I can handle myself, _sensei_." Came a voice from behind. The blonde turned to see an irritated redhead girl staring at him. "You think I'm some damsel in distress who needs to be taken care of? I can make Nao cry like a little girl."

"Shizuka-chan! You're not supposed to say those things." Nao hissed.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and looked like he was trying to control himself from lashing out on his team. But his lips started to curve up at its edges and he slowly opened his eyes. He showcased his gleeful grin.

"Good. You don't know how happy that makes me feel." Sesshomaru spoke with his usual aloofness back. A huge proud smile accompanied his 180-degree turn in behaviour.

"What?!" Nao asked. He was confused. Wasn't his sensei totally against it just a few seconds ago?

"Yes. I had to make sure you guys were mentally prepared for this. I cannot have fresh genin scared shitless while I hunt down those bastards who killed our men."

"So...what you did back there was all-" Nao was gaping like a fish out of water right now. His eye twitched when the twisted realisation struck him.

"Just an act." He drawled. He was in a mood too good to be spoiled.

"So you were prepared to break the rules but acted like you didn't want to just to test our resolve?" Naruto asked, joining the pieces in his head. The realisation struck him like a clap of thunder. His sensei knew Nao's pride would be hurt when ordered to go back to the village. He knew Nao would rebel. He wanted Nao to rebel. To get motivated. That, in turn, motivated _him_ too.

"Rules?" Sesshomaru chuckled at Naruto's innocent question." Let me tell you a fun fact Naruto-kun. _I_ make the rules. The rule is we do whatever _I_ say."

* * *

 **A/N: That's the end of 4rth chapter. I know, it's very short. It's half of what I usually post. But you see, I had to move to a new country for studies and I've been crazy busy. I'm rarely finding time to do this but I don't intend to stop writing either. But the next chapter won't be this short. Not by a long shot. And as usual, thank you for the awesome response for the previous update. Ja na.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Kakashi97 here. I know I've been gone for a very very long time but in my defence, doing a master's degree ain't easy bruh! But I will try to update more frequently from now on. So keep them reviews coming. Those words of yours motivate me to be quicker and better. Hope you guys like this chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

Nao was following Sesshomaru with a scowl on his face. He didn't try to hide his displeasure one bit this time. He did hesitate at first to express his dissent towards his sensei's decision to separate him and Shizuka. The image of Sesshomaru's face at the Naka river bank was etched into his memory and the very thought of opposing that man sent shivers down his spine. But looking at the blithe attitude of Sesshomaru, he decided that someone must put an end to the blonde's tyranny and scowling was the approach he chose to do it.

Sesshomaru did notice Nao's face and clearly understood the boy's thoughts. He didn't need any jutsu to peer into Nao's feelings. It was clear as sand in a desert. He chose not to react to it thinking sooner or later, Nao would stop it. But after 3 hours of deafening silence, Sesshomaru was at his limit. He was being considerate, taking the initiative and trying to strip up some conversation but all his attempts were responded with nothing but silence and scowls. He knew Nao was stubborn and decided to put an end to the silent rebellion.

"What's your deal gaki?" He said turning around abruptly and blocking Nao.

Nao just glared back at him and turned his head away and started walking again. He walked past the taller blonde but Sesshomaru caught his collar and pull him back and narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" Nao asked rubbing his neck. The sudden tug at his collar resulted in a slight bruise of his skin at the nape of his neck. It didn't hurt but playing the victim could always earn him some sympathy points. But another realisation struck him soon enough. In the past month training with Sesshomaru, if there's one thing he learned, it's that Sesshomaru was a master in control. Not just chakra but about anything he put his mind towards. The man could slice a hair strand vertically with his chokuto.

It shouldn't be a problem for him to turn him around without even touching him. That kind of force meant his sensei was no longer playing around. He really did mess up big time.

"You want to know what my problem is? It's you. Why do always have to do things that I hate?" Nao yelled out of both fear and anger.

Sesshomaru raised his eyes as if asking to elaborate.

"How could you let Shizuka wander in this forest all alone?" Nao questioned. There was a hint of concern in his voice which made Sesshomaru smile a little. He didn't see an arrogant boy making a fuss now. He saw a caring brother who is concerned about his sister.

"But she isn't alone. Naruto is with her." Sesshomaru replied. He realised smiling to himself without answering the boy's question would make him look like an idiot.

Nao scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "A second rate genin like him? Please..."

Sesshomaru just sighed in resignation. He did notice the unspoken rivalry between Nao and Naruto. Having a rival is a good thing. It makes you work harder and continuously push your limits. He himself was no stranger to that. But if that rivalry is getting in the way of thinking rationally, then it's no more healthy. He realised he needed to set a few things straight with Nao if this bunch of totally dysfunctional genin called team 6 has any chance of surviving an actual mission. Even this mission as a matter of fact.

"Nao, what exactly is your problem with Naruto?" He sounded determined rather than curious. Determined to put an end to this petty fight and establish a proper work ethic among the squad members starting with the boy in front of him.

"I don't have any problem with him. I'm just stating facts." Nao replied carelessly.

"Stating facts huh?" Sesshomaru said before a thought struck him. A grin crept up his face as he realised he got Nao exactly where he wanted. "Alright. Let's talk facts. Fact no.1: Naruto wiped the floor with you in a taijutsu practice in your 1st year of the academy, didn't he? You did technically win the bout but you know who would've won if it was a real-life battle, don't you? Don't tell me you forgot that already."

Nao's facial expression changed from nonchalant to rage in a mere second. The events that day he wanted to forget the most came back to haunt him. He wasn't just defeated back then. He was outclassed. Humiliated.

Sesshomaru observed the reaction Nao was displaying and imagined what the boy must be going through. He intended to hurt his pride and he knew he succeeded in that. But now he had to make sure he didn't hurt the boy's feelings. It was a fine line and he has to deal with it very carefully.

Sesshomaru got down on one knee and placed a hand his hand on Nao's shoulder. Nao rejected to meet his eye and chose to stare at the ground instead. "But that's not what annoys you, is it?" he asked.

Nao just shook his head slowly in response.

"Then what is it Nao? What about Naruto irks you so much?" But the Yamanaka's question was met with a long silence. He sighed. "Look Nao. He's your teammate even if you're happy about it or not. But you can't let your personal feelings hinder the mission. That's the shinobi code. But...I don't give a damn about shinobi code. I'm all for breaking rules if it means it'll help me. But is what you're doing helping you?"

No response. Nao stood like a rock not meeting the grey eyes of the elder Yamanaka.

Sesshomaru decided he wasn't going to get any answers from Nao. He hoped the boy, though prideful and sometimes a little arrogant, was like a coconut, hard on the outside but soft within. But the silence meant that he wasn't willing to let aside his pride for the sake of growth. The blonde dejectedly got up and gave one last glance before turning around to start walking.

"I hate him. I hate him so much." Nao said.

Sesshomaru froze in his tracks when he heard the boy's words. That wasn't what he was expecting him to say. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. That was actually the last thing Sesshomaru hoped Nao would say. He hoped and guessed Nao's rivalry was, though he took it a little too serious, a healthy one. But to listen to him saying he hates Naruto was something that took him by total surprise. A rare thing for him, to be taken by surprise like that.

He slowly turned around to see Nao's hands trembling in anger. 'Not a good sign' he noted to himself. But when his eyes glided onto boy's face, he was confused. Nao didn't possess the face of a person who was quivering with anger. No. He was...sad. He looked crestfallen. 'What is with this kid?' the blonde thought as he carefully approached Nao.

"Nao, can you tell me why you hate Naruto? I just want to know so that I can make decisions concerning the team keeping that in mind. And remember, it's perfectly alright to Hate someone." 'No. It's most definitely not okay to hate someone without a proper reason. But I lied because the fate of the team 6 depends on your answer Nao.' he thought.

"He...He's strong. So much stronger than me." Nao replied. His voice surprisingly displayed no hint of emotion. It was a rare sight to see. Nao speaking such strong words without any emotion in it. It meant he wasn't spewing nonsense out of anger.

'That's not a good reason to hate someone. It's quite dangerous. I should report this to the-' his train of thought was interrupted when Nao started talking again.

"He's so strong and yet he botched his exams and fooled everyone into thinking he's just a random guy. Everyone but me. He's not some random guy." Then he raised his head to meet the gaze of a curious Sesshomaru was raptly listening to every word he was saying.

"I am Kato Nao. I'm the son of Godaime Hokage, Kato Dan and Kato Tsunade, one of the three legendary sannin. I always kept that in my mind and behaved and worked accordingly. I trained hard not because I wanted appreciation or recognition but to uphold the legacy of my parents. The son of such powerful shinobi can't be mediocre by any means. It's just unacceptable. So I trained. Trained hard every day until I couldn't anymore for as long as I remember. I wanted to be the best so I wouldn't let my parents down." There was a gleam of pride in his eyes while saying those words and Sesshomaru didn't doubt even a word of it. He knew it was true.

"But then, there comes this guy who defeats me with ease. Do you understand what that means sensei? 'He' beat 'Me', a guy who worked so hard to be the very best with such aplomb. He wasn't phased even a little when Iruka-sensei declared me the winner in that bout. He didn't care who was declared the winner. He behaved like it didn't matter because he knew he was better. I was so angry with him then. But it wasn't just him. Everyone around him knew he was in a league of his own. I just couldn't accept it. I went home humiliated that day but then I remembered something my tou-chan said once. He said the learning curve never ends and when you can't see any road ahead, then you're looking the wrong way."

"That's when I realised something. I worked hard until then so that I can uphold my parents' legacy. That was my challenge then. That was my goal and I successfully achieved it. After that defeat to Naruto, my goal changed. I made him my next challenge. I vowed that I would work hard and will surpass him one day."

"But that bastard cast aside everything. He deliberately failed his exams. He intentionally lost in spars and consciously decreased his grades. He fooled everyone around him into thinking he's nothing more than an average student. But not me. I knew he can never be that. That's what I hate about him."

"How the hell can he just discard everything and still behave so nonchalantly? How can he not be bothered by the fact that someone like me, whom he beat so easily, rank above him? What about my goal? Without him, my progress is stagnated. I have no goal without him being on the top. Unless he accepts reality and shows his true self and

strength, I'm lost sensei. By abandoning his true self and living a false life, he not only disrespected the 'will of fire' but also me and my challenge. That's why I hate him and I will continue to do so no matter who says what until he acknowledges the truth." Nao said and lodged a kunai into the adjacent tree. His grip on the kunai was vice-like and his hand was still shaking. The furious look in his eyes was yet to dissipate.

Silence reigned the air for a few moments. The only sound that could be heard was the rustling of the leaves due to the slight wind.

A million things were running through Nao's mind. He spoke too much. He didn't intend to tell all of that. No. Actually, he didn't want to speak even a word of it to anyone ever. Then why did he confess everything to the man in front of him? Was it his touch? The hand that gently squeezed his shoulder to show support was all it took for him spill everything? It most definitely couldn't have, could it?

But what's done is done. What about what's gonna happen? He was in trouble. The worst kind. He just said he hates his teammate. That's the worst kind of sin in Konoha. Your team is supposed to be your second family and your comrades are to be cherished. Those are the values his parents taught him. But he did the exact opposite of it. His outburst now will not only affect him but his parents too. In a fit of anger, he destroyed everything he worked so hard for the past 7-8 years of his life in mere minutes. His eyes widened at that realisation.

Before he could think anything else, he felt a slap to the cheek. He didn't see it coming though he should have. Actually, he should be thankful it's just one single slap. He expected a lot worse. He hung his head low in shame.

"Look up." Sesshomaru commanded.

Nao slowly started to raise his head to meet his sensei's gaze. He did a mistake and now it was time to face the consequences and he was ready to face the wrath he feared for the past month. But he was taken back when he found Sesshomaru smiling. This smile was a lot different from the usual ones too. Usually, Sesshomaru's smile was either gleeful or one filled with amusement. Sometimes even creepy. But this wasn't. It was something he saw only in his parents' face. A proud smile. It confused him.

"You overthink too much gaki. Just like how you're doing now." Sesshomaru said and turned around before starting to walk.

Nao was speechless. He wasn't even sure why he was speechless. There were many different reasons right now he could blame. Confusion? Relief? perturbation? Apprehension? He couldn't choose. Gathering his wits, he finally managed to speak.

"Wha-what do you mean sensei? Aren't you gonna punish me?"

"Punish you? For what?" Sesshomaru sounded as aloof as ever, drawling with disinterest and still walking.

"For what I ju-just...said?" Nao's confusion was growing every second. This wasn't the way he expected things to go.

"Oh, that little speech? Never mind. I totally understand you."

'Did he...just say...he understands me?' Nao thought. 'Arrghhhh...what is this old geezer thinking?' "Hey! Stop right there. I demand an explanation right now. What did you mean back there?"

Sesshomaru sighed in exasperation. He turned back while detaching his sword and pointed it to Nao's face while it was sheathed. "You talk too much too. Listen, I can understand why you are feeling the way you are feeling. You lost to Naruto and decided he's someone extraordinary. So, you made it your goal to defeat Naruto to establish yourself as the best. But since Naruto's grades dropped, you didn't have anyone worthy to compete against to establish yourself as the best. And without proof, you can't be satisfied with yourself. It made you uneasy and out of that uneasiness rose anger. You then redirected that anger in confusion towards Naruto and kept telling yourself you hate him."

"It's actually quite cute how you ended up with that conclusion." Sesshomaru declared with an amused chuckle.

"What do you mean I kept telling myself I hate him? I really do hate him." Nao shot back. He wanted answers and his sensei's explanation brought forth only new questions. This whole thing was frustrating and was getting onto his nerves.

"Nope. You don't. You just think you do. But in reality, you actually admire Naruto. But your pride won't let you accept it because it would mean you have accepted that Naruto is actually better than you. So you made him your rival instead."

"No! No no no no no. You got it all wrong, you stupid old man." Nao was furiously shaking his head. Him admiring Naruto? Preposterous.

"Nao, you're just overthinking things. You said Naruto discarded everything and that was a disrespect to you and the will of fire. But did you ever think why he discarded everything?"

Nao was taken back for a second. That question never crossed his mind. He was always so caught with the anger that he never realised that he was ignoring a major aspect. Knowing the full story. This could change everything. Or nothing. The obscurity was killing him.

"Do you remember when Naruto's behaviour changed?" Sesshomaru asked noticing that Nao was having conflicting feelings. It was just too easy to read the boy.

Nao wanted to say the first thing that came to his mind. The date. It was etched in his memory but stopped right before the numbers came out. The question was too simple for the likes of his sensei. 'It's never this easy with him. There's always more to it than what appears. It isn't about the date. No. Then what could it be? The year? Too vague. The month? Doesn't matter.'

Then it struck. It isn't the date or month or the year. It's an incident. 'The Uchiha Massacre. His parents and his whole clan died. That's when he changed. That's when everything changed.' His face contorted with the stark realisation. His eyes wide, mouth slightly open and body stiff as a stick. He was so absorbed in his selfish rivalry that he completely missed a major point. Naruto had lost his family.

One of the most important lessons Dan thought Nao was to never judge a person without knowing everything. Nao still remembers the exact words that his father used. 'Sometimes...people behave differently son. Sometimes in ways, we don't like. But we shouldn't react to that instinctively because there's a reason for their behaviour. There always is. Never forget that.' Nao wanted to slap himself this time. He completely forgot his father's advice while he always tried to uphold his legacy. What an idiot he was.

He hated a person for almost 5 years because he didn't acknowledge him as an equal without realising the whole scenario. He held a grudge for no real reason now. All these days trying to undermine him was so pointless and heartless to an extent. 'Wait...he didn't acknowledge me as an equal? Did I really think of that? Does it mean I really want his approval as an equal? No no no. That can't be right. But it does prove sensei's claim that I admire him. But do I? Did I actually admire that Uchiha all this time but my arrogance and ignorance made me blind to it? Oh god...all of this is so damn confusing.'

Sesshomaru enjoyed watching Nao's reactions to the realisations he was coming to. The boy really can't hide anything in his face. But that wasn't the only reason he had a smile on his face. He also knew Nao's opinion on Naruto was changing. He had a few ideas about how the next meeting between them both is going to be and he would make sure to enjoy it to the full extent.

His musings about the potential mayhem came to halt when he sensed an all too familiar chakra suddenly spike.

* * *

30 minutes earlier

'Stupid prick.' Shizuka thought as she walked through the forest staring at the back of her black haired teammate for the past two and a half hours. It can get quite boring to walk around for so long without as much as a word. Scratch that. It was boring an hour and a half ago. It turned into annoying an hour later and now it was downright irritating. The only sound she heard apart from the birds chirping, leaves rustling and flowing water from the adjacent river was her own sighs. A person can only sigh such a number of times to express their tedium.

She shifted her gaze onto the treetops and drifted back into her own thoughts as she did for the most part of this tread.

'Does he really think he's too good to even initiate a normal conversation? That's the least he could do, right? Pompous Uchiha. I hate his guts. Who does he think he is? He carries himself as though he's the most talented person around. Pretentious douche.

'He thinks he's grandiose just because he's from a noble clan and looks good. Well, guess what Uchiha, your clan is more infamous than reputed. Is it even a clan anymore? It's just him and his stupid duck butt haired brother. Hardly even a family. Just like...me.'

All her existing emotions quickly subsided and she was left with only 1 feeling, dismay. She learned about her parents a year after she joined the academy when she made a fuss about why her last name was Uzumaki and not Senju like Nao's and her parents'. To learn that both her parents dying during a mission due to a freak explosion when she was less than a year old was really hard to take.

But she never really felt the void of her dead parents. She doesn't even remember them so it's hard to miss someone whom you don't know anything about. She never felt like Tsunade and Dan weren't her parents until that day or even after that. She was cared for better than Nao most of the times. She'd be lying if she said she never wished to be with her real parents but Tsunade and Dan made sure she never regretted having them as her parents.

Shizuka looked at the marching form of Naruto in a different light for the first time. 'What am I thinking? I have a family. Two loving parents and a caring brother

even though not by blood. But he's different. He's completely alone. His whole clan was destroyed within one single night. Everyone he knew and spent time with, shared and made memories with, gone. I think I actually had it easy compared to him. I never even knew my real parents to miss them. Can't say it doesn't hurt but it's certainly not as bad losing someone who loved and raised you for so many years.'

'I mean if something were to happen to kaa-chan or tou-chan-', she left that thought unfinished and stopped in her tracks. Her hands started to tremble slightly before she managed a get a grip on her emotions and steadying herself. She clenched her fists tightly to stop the trembling and resumed her walk.

The very thought of losing them made her tremble. One thing became clear to her. 'To be able to live normally after something as losing your loved ones would be impossible and to be able to live even remotely close to normal would take a true heart and so much courage.' For the first time ever, Shizuka felt admiration towards a person other than her parents.

'Maybe I was wrong in him treating him that way. Maybe I should try to know more about him before I come to a conclusion. I mean, Kaa-chan always said I need to think before I act and not jump to conclusions. Wait a minute. What if I'm jumping to conclusions about him being a good guy? What if he's actually a closet pervert who peeps on women while they bath?'

A wildly inappropriate image of Naruto peeping on her while she was standing under a waterfall naked popped into her head. Once again she froze in her tracks, although for an entirely different reason. Heat started to rise up cheeks and her face turned red out of embarrassment.

Naruto sensed Shizuka's movement stopped. This wasn't the 1st time that he noticed it. He did it the previous time as well but didn't react since Shizuka started walking again. He didn't want to incite a yelling session from her. He was thankful for the peace he had until now and wished to prevail as long as possible. The best way for him to do that was not talking to her.

But he wasn't as cold as he appeared to be. He knew about the kind of reputation he and his brother have in the academy. Heartless, apathetic, indifferent etc. He didn't blame them for thinking like that. After 'that' incident, Sasuke shut himself to the outside world and he was always lost in thoughts. He did try to socialize with a few but he never truly enjoyed them. He had to fake smiles, laughs and interest just to appear normal to others.

But he was soon tired of pretending. He couldn't bring himself to lie to everyone around him. So he stopped doing that. He didn't fake anything after that. He behaved like he truly felt from the inside. Disinterested. Because that was exactly what he felt most of the time. The lessons didn't seem interesting. Everything that's being thought, he already knew. Knowing what his classmates didn't seem interesting. Knowing which girl liked which guy didn't seem interesting either. The world itself appeared too bland to him.

But he didn't want to ignore someone who seemed struggling. She was her teammate, loud and boisterous she might be. If they wanted to work together successfully as a team, they had to know each other better. Understanding and communication are quite important for efficient teamwork. So he was prepared to sacrifice the peace if it meant a step towards a better relationship between them. He stopped walking and took a deep breath before turning around to face her.

Shizuka was perplexed by the way things played out in the next few seconds. She didn't know how to react to the situation. First, Naruto turned around to face her with his usual indifferent face. But something about his eyes told her he was determined to accomplish something. The next thing she knew, he lunged at her, grabbed her waist and jumped into a nearby shrub before pinning her to the ground and closing her mouth.

She wanted to scream but the turn of events formed a lump in her throat which made even squeaking impossible. Her mind was rushing with thoughts. 'I was right. He is a pervert. No. Even worse. He's gonna...' she was scared to even think down that line. Her eyes widened at what the despicable boy was about to do to her and her body started to thrash around instinctively.

The sound of an explosion from where she was previously standing grabbed her attention. Her body froze and stopped squirming. All the thoughts of the Uchiha above defiling her faded. All she could think of was how she could've been dead if Naruto didn't try to rape her.

'Dead? If he didn't try to rape me? That doesn't right.' It took a while for her to realise how things actually went down. The realisation made her want to punch herself in the face. 'He might've seen them behind me when he turned around and saved me. That must be it.' she concluded.

"Tch. Where the hell did they run off to now? Pesky bastards." said a heavily built man as he walked out of the smoke left by the fire. His features became clear once he walked past the dying fire. He is a tall and muscular young man with long, spiky black hair kept slicked back, revealing his forehead. He had dark crimson pupils and staunch facial features that didn't match the loose-fitting garbs he was wearing.

"Stop whining and just look for them." replied a woman who accompanied him. She had long, soft brown hair, parted on the side. She had black eyes, sharp features and wore a large-collared Red shirt with a vest over it that fanned out at the bottom. She held a katana in her hand while scanning the area for her prey with a scowl on her face.

"Geez Akari, you're in filthier mood than ever. What happened? That runaway husband of yours didn't sleep with you before leaving you again?"

She moved so quickly that Naruto almost missed her a split second when those words left her companion's mouth. She pushed him against a tree and held her katana at his throat drawing a small trickle of blood. "Stay out of my personal life unless you wanna be fed to the leopards." She seethed as her eyes were burning with rage while staring at him.

"Easy there tiger. If someone were to see us this close, they might get the wrong idea. Also, we don't want to be a bad influence on the kids who might be watching us too." He said while raising his hands in the air as if surrendering. Akari's grip just tightened on her sword as he continued to piss her off.

"Akari, let go of Kaito." Came a deep commanding voice from up above. Akari turned and looked up to see a tall man with a lean built, spiky green hair that is slightly brushed back and two strands that hang in the front. He wore a double-breasted and long-sleeved shirt with red trimmings on the edges. Akari just clicked her tongue in annoyance and let go of now named Kaito.

"Nice timing dancho. Otherwise, Akari would've killed me and buried my body right here and tell you I went missing." Kaito spoke with a laid back tone.

The newcomer threw a glare in Kaito's direction which instantly made the latter stiffen up. 'Dancho is serious about this hunt.' Kaito noted.

"You two have been slacking off." The commander stated which got surprised reactions from both. While Kaito particularly didn't seem to object to that, Akari looked offended.

"Dancho, with all due respect, I've been training harder than ever these days. While I do know that I still have lots of room for improvement, I in no way was taking it easy."

"If you weren't slacking off, you would've noticed by now that those two gakis are hiding in those bushes by the tree." He said while looking at the said bushes. Akari and Kaito both launched a bunch shuriken straight into the bushes.

Naruto and Shizuka jumped out the incoming projectiles' path only to be welcomed by a smiling face and a punch to their guts by Kaito who had anticipated their direction. Shizuka fell onto the ground due to the pain while Naruto barely managed to stand on his feet. 'A couple of more punches like that and we'd be taken out easily.' Naruto thought while breathing hard and staring at the three opponents.

"Take care of the boy but bring back the girl alive. She might be of some interest to the leader."

Kaito and Akari nodded in agreement. They had a pretty clear objective in front of them. Kill the boy and harm the girl just enough to keep her alive with her body intact. Their dancho was a very kind man indeed. Both of them split and started shooting shuriken and kunai in a pincer attack.

Naruto took out his Kunai and started parrying the incoming projectiles with great speed and accuracy. His hands almost blurred with the way they moved. 'Shizuka is immobilized now. I need to hold them off until I can send a signal and Sensei arrives. I can't let her get hurt until then.' Naruto thought while continuing to counter the iron shower.

Kaito smiled while Akira groaned when they ran out of their stock of shuriken. "You're pretty good kid. Impressive movements. But what will you do when it rains shuriken?" Kaito said. Kaito words distracted Naruto for a split second which was everything Akari needed to pull out a scroll. She immediately pushed a little bit of her chakra into the scroll which resulted in a little rain of shuriken.

The sky before Naruto turned black for a moment when the shuriken were released from the scroll. Naruto knew he can't deflect these many shuriken himself. But if he tries to dodge them, Shizuka will be unguarded. There wasn't enough time to grab her and run away like before either. In what can be called as an instinctive decision, Naruto stood tall in front of Shizuka and parried the incoming shuriken with such precision that it left Kaito and Akira speechless.

They were shocked to see Shizuka unharmed and Naruto still standing on his feet when the hail of shuriken ended. All the

ruckus made Shizuka open her eyes as the pain started to slightly subside. Everything a blur at the beginning. As her vision started to become clearer, she saw that the ground was embedded with shuriken and kunai all around her. She immediately checked her body for any wounds or cuts only to find her completely unharmed.

Her eyes drifted towards the person who was barely on his feet in front of her. She couldn't clearly see who it was since she was facing in the direction of the sunlight she was certain from the outline that it was Naruto. But something about him seemed a little different. 'Why does he look like he just came out of a lake? He's totally drenched.' she thought as her senses kept getting better every second. As her sense of smell returned, she immediately closed her nose as the air around her felt like it was somehow hanging with metal in it.

'Drenched...metallic smell. Drenched...shuriken...metallic smell.' These thoughts kept racing through her mind when everything pieced together. The realisation made a cold shiver run down her spine. She immediately lunged towards Naruto and held him. She turned him around to face him and saw something which she never before. He had a proud smile etched on him.

His eyes were drooping, his breathing was haggard but his smile didn't falter. His grip on kunai loosened and it hit the ground as he himself couldn't stand on his feet anymore. Shizuka slowly lowered herself onto the ground while holding Naruto in her arms.

He was completely drenched in blood. There gashes and lacerations all over his body. Nothing too deep to damage any internal organs but the blood loss enough could kill him if he isn't treated soon enough. But Shizuka couldn't notice any of that. All she saw was his bloodied body and the contrasting smile on his face.

'He... saved me. He shielded me from all those shuriken. He almost died protecting me.' Something instantly awakened inside her. Something deep and dark. Something she wasn't familiar with. Something she couldn't comprehend or prevent. It slowly kept crawling up, taking over her and she fell into a pit of nothingness, helpless. The last thing she was the proud smile on his face.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know if you want short chapters at quicker intervals or longer chapters though it takes a little time. Ja na.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Heya peeps. I'm back, arguably late. I have a pretty decent reason this time. The chapter was done almost a month ago. I think in 2019 itself. But then I lost my laptop where the file was in. I didn't back it up in cloud so I had to redo this whole chapter after getting a new one. A pain in the ass I tell you. You've waited long enough as it is. So just jump right in now.**

* * *

He zoomed past the trees in a flash. Before the branch he set foot on even felt the pressure of his step, he cleared another 20 yards. He wanted to rush as fast as he could to the location of that chakra. The chakra which disturbed him to the very core. The chakra which destroyed his life. The chakra that took everything from him. The chakra that made him into what he is today. He wanted nothing more than to forget everything related to that vile chakra and the night it wreaked havoc. 'This wasn't supposed to happen. Not this soon.' Sesshoumaru thought as he raced towards Shizuka.

Nao was barely able to keep up with his sensei's speed. He was pushing himself to the limit and yet, he was a considerable distance behind Sesshoumaru. He was worried that he would loose sight of the older blonde if he lets up even for a fraction of second. That bother was trumped by this chakra he was sensing from a distance. It was faint at first, but it grew stronger and darker as they moved forward. But these two weren't his biggest concerns.

'I've never seen Sensei like this. I never thought something could disturb him to such a degree. He's fretting. His chakra is erratic. What could've troubled him this much? It must be this wicked chakra that we're approaching. But...who could it be?' Nao thought as he silently followed the Yamanaka Jonin. He had seen and hated the different behavior trends of Sesshoumaru in the past month and so. One would think he'd seen everything and had a good idea on Sesshoumaru, even though as volatile as the man could be. But this the second time he was surprised by Sesshoumaru's behavior. The man first made Nao realize his true feelings towards Naruto with his keen insight and understanding. Now he was showing concern and borderline anxiousness, which Nao thought was an impossible emotion for Sesshoumaru. 'If this chakra is capable of worrying even the old man, wherever we are heading, the situation must be grave over there.'

Akari was an experienced ninja of her clan. She was young but one of the very active shinobi members. She wasn't a prodigy like Kaito or anything. Just an average person with a normal aptitude. But she had a drive for greatness like none other. She strived every day, every minute to become stronger. The reason for her determination is unknown to anyone except her and she liked to keep it that way. Being an average kid from the beginning, she was never given any importance. Most people didn't bother with her. But she never gave up her goal because people thought she wasn't meant for greatness. She instead used the time she was gifted out of other's negligence towards her to hone her skills.

She proved herself time and again in various dangerous missions, risking her life every time to get the task done. That was until her Dancho recognized her efforts and took her under him. She was happy the day it happened and that was the first time she felt like that since her parents passed away. But she knew, the task at her hands only got bigger with her new role. She worked harder, went on more missions and barely had any spare time for herself. She had visited all the major and minor countries, fought and observed all kinds of people. In her 24 years of life and 13 years of Shinobi experience, she never saw or even heard about anything close to what she was seeing.

A red chakra so dense and strong that it was visible, has surrounded the girl in front of her. The girl who was barely conscious a minute ago now had a chakra level which surpassed not only her own but also her captain's. The sheer amount of chakra the girl possessed made her drop to her knees. But the truly terrifying thing which made her tremble was the intention to kill the little girl displayed. It was inhuman. It was more primal than a wild animal. It was almost as if the girl craved destruction and thrived in it. Like it was her basic instinct to destroy everything in sight. Add to that Shizuka's now feral appearance, it wouldn't be presumptuous to say Akari was paralyzed from fear.

Kaito himself wasn't new to gruesome visuals but even he was taken back at the Jinchuriki's new form. The shroud, a translucent red with bubbles of the chakra (reminiscent of boiling liquid) all around the girl along with a tail, the red eyes with dark slitted pupil, the longer, sharper nails and canines and the thicker, pronounced whisker marks on her cheeks was a wickedly menacing sight.

"Akari!"

That shout grabbed the attention of the panic-stricken woman who was on her knees on the ground. She snapped her head to the right to face the source, Kaito. It was probably a first for her to see Kaito with such a worried look on his face. She didn't see the ever aloof Kaito there. She saw a different person. She never saw Kaito struggle to stand straight like that. He was a person who carried himself with an air of confidence and smugness. The nervous and serious person beside her, she almost couldn't recognize.

"This is not the time to lay down. We are given orders and we have our target in front of us. Things have escalated further than we'd like and now, our lives are on the line. So get your head straight or we'll end up dead."

She never expected she'd hear these words herself from someone else let alone Kaito. She struggled to get back on her feet but her legs felt like jelly. When her legs were about to give out, Kaito words rang in her mind. 'Our lives on the line.' she thought as she shakily took a defensive stance. 'True. Whatever this girl is, it's deadly. I need to get my thoughts straights. This is about survival now. Kousuke Dancho has entrusted us with capturing the girl. If we die here, we'd be an insult not only to ourselves, but also him.' She stared at the creature in front of her who was ready to attack- no, rip them apart.

Shizuka's now longer nails dug a little further into the ground before she vanished from her spot. Not even a blink of an eye later, she was right behind Akari, ready to slash her head off of her body. If not for Kaito's interjection, that's exactly what would've happened which was proven when the log which Kaito used to substitute themselves with took the hit in their stead and shattered.

Akari saw the log get shattered while in Kaito's arms on a tree branch high up and away from Shizuka. Her attention immediately turned to Kaito who was groaning in pain while leaning against the tree. He had a deep gash on his right arm which was bleeding profusely. She immediately got down and started to search for a bandage to cover the wound. Kaito just caught her arm and shook his head. "We don't have time for that now. We need to retreat. Now!"

Kaito was called a prodigy right from his childhood. Both his parents were ninjas and they couldn't be more proud of him. He consumed knowledge like no other and the speed at which he grasped anything was nothing short of frightening. But what made him be hailed as the most brilliant mind in many generations was his keen observation and analytical skills. He processed things at an unnatural rate. But this time, even that wasn't enough.

Shizuka was onto them the next moment he finished the sentence, leaving them no time to execute their escape plan. They were cornered with neither the time or the space to escape. Shizuka made a slash with her arm and they ducked to avoid getting killed by that. They were successful in evading the strike directly but the force of the slash was good enough to destroy the tree trunk. Akari and Kaito got blasted away by the force and crashed onto the ground. Kaito's already bleeding arm was in an even worse condition now, having dislocated his arm during the fall. Akari who wasn't injured before but broke her ankle now. She was struggling to stand on her feet but looking at Kaito who was on the ground struggling with his injuries, she pulled herself up to stand and defend the person who saved her life twice in past minute.

Shizuka giving them no time to breathe launched herself at them again. Akari knew that she didn't have the time to weave signs for any defensive jutsu. She just threw a kunai with an explosive tag aimed at the incoming threat. Shizuka tried to slap away the kunai without any regard. But the kunai exploded on the faintest of contact and blew away Shizuka.

Akari took this opportunity to carry Kaito away from there. She turned her head back to assess the damage but more to reassure herself that the explosive kunai managed to buy them some time. But her hopes didn't last longer than few seconds, exactly the time it took for the cloud of dust and ash to settle down to reveal an unharmed and even more irate Shizuka snarling her pronounced canine at her. She immediately pushed every bit of her chakra into her legs and leaped as far and fast as possible. As much as she hated Kaito, she couldn't deny his intellect. If Kaito himself chose to retreat while both them of could fight, it would be plain stupidity for her alone to face the girl while protecting an injured comrade. It would be similar to the boy who sacrificed himself to protect the girl. So she chose to be wise unlike Naruto and began to retreat at full force.

Before long, she saw Shizuka chasing them on all fours like a wild beast hunting it's prey. Akari was pushing her limits and yet it wasn't enough. Shizuka just bared her fangs once again before leaping towards her target only to hit a brick wall. She crashed through the wall and rolled over a few times before regaining her footing.

She immediately turned left to see a man standing with her targets behind him. If she were in her normal senses, she would've recognized him as the green-haired man from earlier, who ordered her captured and her teammate's murder.

Akari looked up to see her captain standing tall before her. "Kousuke Dancho…" A flash of renewed hope and relief washed over her face. Kaito through his squinted eyes, noticed his captain's arrival. Though he was grateful for the man's presence, he felt disappointed in himself for letting things get this far. He slowly murmured a soft apology to Kousuke as he tried to get himself into an upright position. Akari immediately pulled out some medical supplies and started to do the basic first aid to Kaito to stop his bleeding.

" I see you've unleashed yourself. No matter though. Let yourself be captured and I'll leave the barely breathing boy without killing him off." Kouske said while staring into Shizuka's eyes directly, unflinching. Shizuka just growled in return and lunged forward to get rid of the new enemy in front of her.

"I see you've chosen the wrong option, little girl." The green-haired man said before flashing through hand signs. Right before Shizuka's arm could reach his face, his palm was on her forehead. As soon as his palm touched her forehead, the red chakra shroud started to dissipate. Shizuka felt the strength leaving her body along with the shroud covering her. Her features softened and by the time the cloak disappeared, she was laying on the ground unconscious.

"You could've made it easier if only slightly but now, your friend is gonna die, little girl." He spoke as he extended his arm to grab Shizuka. Before he knew it, a Katana had slashed his hand right in the middle of the forearm, separating it from the rest of the body. The captain just jumped back along with Akari who carried Kaito to safety before the severed hand hit the ground. The now amputee captain was groaning in pain while holding his arm tightly.

Nao landed the next moment to see Sesshoumaru standing over an unconscious Shizuka with a severed hand near his leg. He immediately raced towards the and came to a skidding halt on his knees near beside his sister. "Shizuka!" he yelled as he turned her over and started to shake her to elicit any response from her. He saw some weird marking over her forehead and started panicking. Sesshoumaru too noticed them and had a surprised look for the briefest of moments.

"Shizuka. Wake up. Wake up damn it."

"Calm down Nao. She's just unconscious from chakra exhaustion. She's in no immediate danger." Sesshoumaru said while staring at three opponents in front of him.

"How do know that? How can you be sure of that? What if-" Nao starting yelling out of fear and confusion.

Sesshoumaru just knelt before grabbing Nao who in turn had Shizuka in his lap, leapt back several yards. When Nao hit the floor again, he noticed an even chilling scene than his unconscious sister. Naruto was lying on the ground face down in a pool of blood. Sesshoumaru assessed the wounds immediately and carefully, not to spill more blood than already being. He saw the scene around. Bloodied kunai stabbed into the ground behind Naruto while untainted kunai lay scattered at a distance.

"He did a good job avoiding hits to critical areas but he has too many gashes. The blood loss alone is enough to kill him soon. His breathing is faint. We need to get him immediate medical attention or we might lose him. Nao, take these and bandage him up ASAP. We need to prevent any further blood loss. Nao? Are you listening?"

Nao was hyperventilating just by looking at the scene in front of him. His sister was unconscious. His other teammate was cut all over his body and was barely alive. 'This is how a shinobi mission goes?' was the only thought on his mind now. He knew he was putting his life on the line every day he takes a mission but seeing the people in his life have such a close encounter with death just shook him to the core. This wasn't how his 1st real mission is supposed to go. This was far from how he imagined it. He was supposed to save the day when Naruto became useless and his sensei got gravely injured in fierce. He'd protect his sister and everyone would applaud his heroics while Naruto sat in a corner a cried. That's how he envisioned.

He was brought out of his thoughts when a bandage roll hit his head. "Ouch." He flinched at the sudden impact. He took the bandage roll and looked at his sensei.

"Don't worry about Shizuka. Like I said earlier, she's just unconscious from chakra exhaustion. She will be up and about before I finish my business with them. Those weird markings on her forehead is a seal. To be more precise, a chakra suppression seal. But first, cover Naruto's wound or… he'll die."

The gravity of the words alone was enough to make Nao crawl towards Naruto hurriedly and start bandaging him. 'Don't die on me, you idiot. I still have to kick your ass to be the best.' Nao thought as he wrapped Naruto's injuries. If someone had told him not to worry about his unconscious sister and tend to Uchiha Naruto's wounds a month ago, he would've laughed in their face first before pummeling them into the ground for even talking about such absurdity. But it wasn't anyone who said that. It was Sesshoumaru. He trusted his sensei's judgement enough, especially after the Yamanaka's role in his stark realization about Naruto, as begrudgingly as he might.

Sesshoumaru shunshined out of there leaving Shizuka and Naruto in Nao's care. He reappeared a few yards in front of the three opponents. Akari noticed Sesshoumaru's presences and her face contorted in fury. "More Konoha pests. You will pay for what you did to the Dancho and Kaito." she seethed as she rose. Her captain extended his left arm to stop her from going forward. She looked at him and he just shook his head without taking his eyes off Sesshoumaru.

"But Dancho-" Akari tried to protest but a single glare from her captain was enough to silence her. Akari knew when to push and when not to. Her captain wasn't the most regarded individual in their village for no reason.

"I see you have no headbands. Are you rogue shinobi or just bandits?" Sesshoumaru inquired as he cracked his knuckles and slowly took a relaxed step. Kousuke noted that the Katana that sliced his right arm was sheathed back in. 'That blade was exceptionally sharp. He used the slightest of pressure when he swung it back then. A normal blade would've made a gash at most.' he thought. Kousuke made a mental note to watch out when Sesshoumaru takes out his blade again. Before Sesshoumaru took the second step, Kousuke carried Akari and Kaito several yards back. 'I shouldn't underestimate his speed either. I didn't even sense him until he was right beside back then. He was definitely out of my 50 yard range. To think he'd cover more than 50 yards in less than a second, he's no run of the mill Jonin from Konoha.' Akari who was holding onto Kaito couldn't comprehend how the one-armed man managed to carry two fully grown adults that far and that quick.

"You're good. Your experience seems to come in handy while running away. You do this a lot?" Sesshoumaru taunted with a cocky smirk on his face.

The man just smirked in return. "If you think that I'll be riled up by such taunts, then you're underestimating me."

"If you think jumping away from me will make any difference, then you're underestimating me." Sesshoumaru replied before vanishing from his spot. He reappeared behind the one-handed man in an instant. The captain sensed Sesshoumaru's presence and turned to counter him but before he could even bring up his kunai to block, he was slashed across his chest and leapt away in withdrawal. Akari saw the man she respected the most, cut down right in front of her and before she could even process that and be filled with rage, she received a kick to the midsection which sent her flying and crashing into a nearby tree. Kaito suppressed his pain and got up to get back into the fighting fray only to be sent flying away. He clutched his ribs in pain and coughed up blood when he hit the ground.

Nao suddenly jumped down from a tree and threw a few shuriken at Kaito legs. Kaito screamed in agony when they pierced his tendons. With his right arm dislocated and lacerated, his ribs broken and torn tendons, Kaito knew he was no condition to even resist let alone fight now. Nao rushed towards him and immediately snatched the weapons pouch and disarmed him. He then took a ninja wire and tied up Kaito's arms and legs before knocking him out cold with a good 'ol hook to the cheek.

The captain could only watch as the blonde man before him tore apart their formation in a blink of an eye. It was evident to him that his opponent was no ordinary shinobi by any means. He moved so quick and his moves were completely effortless. Only a man with either tremendous experience or incredible talent could move like that. If he could recognize who this man was, he'd gain an advantage which could turn the tides of a battle.

Knowing your opponent is an underestimated advantage that many fail to recognize. He knew it for a fact because he won many battles in his early days because he knew who his opponent was while the opponent didn't have that privilege. When you know your opponent, you plan a perfect strategy to counter him. That's what he was known for. The famous 'thinker' of his village. So he observed the man to notice any distinct features. That's when it caught his attention. The Katana Sesshoumaru was holding. It had a completely black blade and black cross guard with a black and white criss-cross patterned handle. But the most noticeable feature would be the scarlet engravings on the black blade.

The moment he laid his eyes on the Katana, his whole demeanor changed. Until then, though he lost an arm and was bleeding heavily from the gash on his back, he was still confident in himself that he'd take down the opponent. He just needed a while to come up with a counter-attack. He was _the_ thinker after all. But before that, he recognized the sword and it's wielder.

Sesshoumaru recognized the look of realization on his opponent's face. 'So he finally recognized me. Took him long enough.' he thought as he made his way towards the man who now was on his knees, blood increasingly pooling around him. He flared his chakra and his killing intent.

Akari was down. She was laid flat on her stomach and she difficultly lifted her chin to look at the scene unfolding before her. She never thought a day like this would come where her captain would be forced to his knees and Kaito would be taken hostage by a mere brat. When the heavy killing intent radiated from Sesshoumaru, she felt like she was being choked by the pressure alone even though not directed towards her. 'This...is...ridiculous. It's stronger...than that...girl's.' she thought while she struggled for air to breathe.

Even Nao, who was a fair distance away from Sesshoumaru and the others felt the ferocious killing intent his sensei was exuding. His heart started to race, searching for oxygen in his blood while Nao's breathing stopped momentarily. He gasped for air a couple of seconds later, only then realizing he held his breath all along. 'Sensei is going to…kill him.' Nao thought as he felt Sesshoumaru's intentions when he felt the ethereal pressure. He noticed Kaito's breathing was slowly coming down. 'Shit, that Killing intent must have affected him. But he was already unconscious by that time. Then how?'

Kousuke watched as Sesshoumaru slowly approached him. By the time the latter was standing in front of him, he needed his lone hand to support himself from laying on the ground like Akari. "You're him. The one who's known as the 'Shinigami', Yamanaka Sesshoumaru."

"Actually, that's my Katana's nickname but whatever, you are right at identifying me. Yours truly." Sesshoumaru chirped nonchalantly. The captain just chuckled mirthlessly which resulted in him coughing up more blood.

"Now now. Don't go dying on your own. Let me do honors."

"Then do it. I knew my fate was sealed the moment I laid my eyes on that black blade. I have no regrets in my life. Kill me but spare them both. Please, I beg you not-"

"Oh, stop it. I'm not going to kill you right away. You'll have my permission to die only after you've answered my questions." Sesshoumaru spoke with a smile. But that didn't last long. It disappeared without a trace almost as soon as he finished his sentence. The already heavier air around got a lot thicker now. The intensity in his eyes went from non-existent to omnipotent. He knelt beside the bleeding captain and looked him in his eyes. "If you dare die before giving me everything I want," he leaned closer and whispered in his ears "I will drag you up from hell itself and kill you all over again."

Kousuke didn't doubt his words. 'If there was someone who could actually do that, then it must be him. Only the 'Shinigami' can do that.' he thought as remembered the moniker once again. Everything about Sesshoumaru screamed danger. His eyes, his voice, his attitude. The green-haired man gulped and nodded. Sesshoumaru nodded in satisfaction. "Now, tell me who you people are and why you killed those Konoha shinobi."

"My name is Kadomaki Kousuke. I'm the leader of the special 3 member reconnaissance team. Those 2 lying there are Akari Kadomaki and Kaito Kadomaki." He said after a taking a few seconds to gather his breath and thoughts.

'Kadomaki?' Sesshoumaru thought not recognizing the clan's name from anywhere. "You three share the same clan name. Are you siblings? Or cousins?"

"You could say that. We are all related to each other by blood. Not just the three of us, everyone in our village are." Kousuke continued. Sesshoumaru's doubts kept increasing with each sentence. 'A whole village related to each other by blood? Sounds awfully similar to _that_ clan. Even the name, Kadomaki.' he thought. His doubt got cleared when he heard Kousuke's following words.

"We are related to the fallen Uzumaki clan."

Silence reigned for a few seconds. Absolute silence. The slightest of leaves rustling could be heard clearly at that moment. "Go on," Sesshoumaru simply said, intent on getting to the bottom of this. This was something he didn't have the slightest of the clues and he didn't like to be in dark about this for any longer.

"When the Uzumaki clan got annihilated by the other nations, there were survivors, however few they were. My father was mere teenager back then. He was the sole survivor among his family of five. Everyone almost faced the same fate as him. None of the survivors had any immediate family left. They were orphaned. They were traumatized. They had to watch their parents, brothers, sons and daughters be slaughtered."

"After fleeing the whirlpool country, some of them chose to go on their separate ways, fearing that they would be hunted down again if the great nations ever found out the truth. They chose to live a life of solitary, away from rest of the survivors. No one blame them either. It would be difficult to move on unless and until you are disconnected from everything and everyone related to a memory you wish to forget."

Sesshoumaru looked down to the side and nodding to himself, remembering his own ghastly memory and what he did to move on from that.

"The rest of them didn't feel like abandoning their kin. But they understood they can't live like before either. Those who left them had a valid point. If the great nations ever found out that there were Uzumaki survivors and they started to rebuild the clan, they wouldn't sit idle. They wouldn't rest until they would hunt everyone down for good this time. So they hid in deep in uncharted forests. They embraced isolation as it was our only salvation."

Sesshoumaru knew that there were survivors from the Uzumaki annihilation. He was acquainted with one of them himself. He just assumed the few survivors were scattered all over the elemental nations. But to think that some of them still lived as a community was a startling revelation. But there were still things that bothered Sesshoumaru about Kousuke's story.

"You say you're descendants of the Uzumaki clan but Uzumakis have a unique chakra signature. Although your chakras are somewhat similar to them, it's not what an Uzumaki descendant would normally possess."

"Yes, that's because unlike our ancestors who strived to keep the Uzumaki bloodline pure, our previous generation didn't have the privilege to do so. Almost everyone married out of the clan in process of restoring it. The Uzumaki clan's chakra signature was special because of their pure-blooded heritage. Also, we didn't want to be affiliated to that clan anymore. Not that we aren't proud of it, but we feared the wrath it might bring us again. So, our elders decided to change our clan's name from Uzumaki to Kadomaki."

Sesshoumaru seemed satisfied with that answer. What Kousuke said did not only fit the story, it sounded plausible as well. But that wasn't everything he wanted.

"Why did you kill our men and women?" Sesshoumaru's gaze was more intense now. He stopped exuding the killing intent a while ago but his gaze alone was enough to make anyone flinch.

"One of them found out our settlement. We followed him and tried to subdue him before the information spread. But it was too late. He reached the camp quicker than we hoped. We saw him call for a meeting inside the main tent. We didn't know what they discussed for certain but we couldn't risk spreading any information about ourselves. So we did what we had to do. Our survival depended on it."

"Not an excuse to murder 20 innocent people."

"I wasn't making any excuses. I was explaining our reasons. I don't regret what we did back there. I'd do that all over again if it's for the sake of my clan." He let out an amused chuckle at end. "And they are by no means Innocent."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the last line. With a quick thrust of his sword straight into Kousuke's heart, he ended the bleeding man's life. The light of life instantly faded out of Kousuke as he dropped dead into the pool of his own blood when Sesshoumaru withdrew his blade.

Nao who was watching everything from behind took a sharp breath when he saw his sensei kill someone without any hesitation. He saw Sesshoumaru wipe the blood off the black katana clean on the victim's clothes before turning around. He watched Sesshoumaru walk past him and towards Shizuka and Naruto. He clenched his fist tight before speaking up.

"Wait!" He shouted, gaining the older blonde's attention. Sesshoumaru turned back to see a furious Nao glaring at him.

"Why did you kill him? Even after hearing him out, you still decided to kill him? I know what he did was inexcusable but on what basis did you decide to kill him? Why didn't you just capture and let him atone for his mistakes?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. Not in annoyance or vexation but from tiredness. This day was turning more dreary every second. He just wanted to go home and sleep his weariness off.

"Look Nao, Sometimes I have to put fear in people. I know that's not right but if I'm being honest, I have to be ruthless because failure isn't an option. The same thing applies to me. I have to be ruthless with myself. I have to use my fears against myself. It makes me stronger." Sesshoumaru said as he gazed in Nao's demanding eyes.

"What does anything you said has to do with killing him?"

"I killed him not because I wanted to. He was going to die regardless of whether I kill him or rush him to the nearest hospital. Death was his only option and even he knew that. I just killed him and released him from his suffering."

"You don't know that. Maybe Kaa-chan could've saved him had we rushed him fast enough."

"Shut up Nao!" Sesshoumaru yelled. Nao was taken back by the unexpected outburst.

"You don't know how hard it is to breathe while your trachea is collapsing. You don't know how hard it is to stay conscious while losing blood. You don't know how hard it is to hold onto your life when you're dying. It takes someone a great amount of will to survive such physical damage. But that man there gave up his will to live long before I landed the finishing blow. Even if I didn't kill him then, he would've died regardless. Not even Kato Tsunade of the legendary Sannin could've saved him. He would've just suffered for a couple of more hours." Sesshoumaru said before turning around and walking towards Naruto and Shizuka.

Nao for the second time in that was left speechless by Sesshoumaru. Nao disapproved of Sesshoumaru from the very beginning. He didn't like the way the man carried himself, his aloof attitude towards almost everything, his smugness, his training methods, the fact that he was skilled enough to play around with Nao like a rag doll, his keen senses, his intuition which was omniscient and most of all. He silently walked towards Sesshoumaru who was observing the resting forms of Naruto and Shizuka. When he got there, he saw an irked Sesshoumaru waiting for him. Nao was confused about what annoyed his sensei now until his gaze landed on Naruto. A mummified Naruto. He sheepishly grinned at his sensei.

"Guess I went a little overboard with the bandaging due to all the anxiety. Hehe." Sesshoumaru shook his head and facepalmed.

* * *

Pain was the last thing he remembered before everything went dark around him. Acute searing pain all over his body. But something changed after that. He knew it. The severity of the pain he's feeling now isn't as intense as it was back then. Something definitely changed. His eyes started to feel lighter and he tried opening them only to squint them back due to the amount of light present in the room. It took some time for his eyes to adjust to the lighting. As he slowly opened his eyes, he couldn't recognize anything around him. Everything was blurry. He knew there was something long and dark towering over him before it backed away. Not something. Someone. A person since objects didn't move with such grace. Good. His thinking wasn't affected. Suddenly a sharp ringing started in his ears. A sharp sting passed through his head for the briefest moments but enough to raise his senses to inhuman capacity. Everything started to become clearer rapidly as he adjusted to the surroundings. He saw a woman stretch his eyelids wide as even his heartbeat was clear to his ears. His breathing sounded heavy and the light in the surroundings was still blinding. Despite how overwhelming environment seemed to him, he was still able to recognize the people in the room now. On his left was his brother Sasuke, looking worried. As his eyes moved to the right, he saw Nao, frowning with a mixed look of curiosity and irritation. To his right was definitely the healer of the Sannin, Kato Tsunade.

"He's made a complete recovery now. His vitals are normal. His senses might be a little off for a couple of minutes but that'll pass soon enough. Most of the blood he lost must have been repleted by now. Since there was no nerve damage, his functioning won't be affected either. But he needs to recover his stamina back which will take a while. The blood loss was almost fatal so his body will incline to restore it to 100% before repairing anything else. He will be discharged tonight but I advise a complete bed rest for the upcoming weeks. Come see me with your brother at the hospital before he reports back to the shinobi duties. He has to be cleared for duty before he can even step a foot outside the village. Got it?" Tsunade said to Sasuke after completing examining the now conscious Naruto.

Sasuke just nodded sternly in response. Tsunade spared a glance at Naruto before sighing in satisfaction and turning around to leave the room. Nao followed her out of the room but kept his eyes on Naruto all the while until walking past the door.

"What were you thinking back there? You almost died on your very first mission you baka. " Sasuke spoke in a low but steely tone. Naruto could feel the disappointment in his brother's voice. Ever since the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke grew more protective towards Naruto. As the months turned into years, the protectiveness became overprotective, his care became overbearing and patronizing. Naruto reasoned by attributing such behaviour to his drop in grades but it irked him that his every move is being critiqued like he needs to guided all the way.

"I'm sorry Sasuke but I don't regret doing it. I would do it again and again if I have to in order to protect someone." Naruto said as he struggled a little to sit upright. Even the slightest movement in his body made him shudder in pain. 'Classic Sasuke. He let's his emotions get the better of him every time even though he looks impassive all the time. Ironic. He didn't even wait to listen to what I had to say.'

Sasuke noticed Naruto's wincing and strain himself. 'Let this pain be a lesson to get rid of his foolishness. Ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. Where did he come up with this?' Sasuke thought, refusing to help him while Naruto still struggled to get comfortable in his position.

"You need to get your priorities straight Naruto. You can't recklessly throw away your life like this. I won't let you." Sasuke stated like he meant it.

"I didn't. I was just protecting my teammate." Naruto protested back in a barely audible tone, an indication of how much damage he took which didn't go unnoticed by the older Uchiha. He just turned around in his place, away from Naruto.

"I won't stand by idly if you're going to behave like this. I can't afford to lose the only blood relative I have. Even if it means taking drastic measures to protect you. Rest for a while. I'll come back when they discharge you in the evening." Sasuke said before leaving Naruto alone in the private hospital room. Sasuke walked away and pulled the door behind him as he exited the room. Naruto kept staring at the half closed door for a long time after Sasuke left. He kept staring and staring and only one thing came to his mind. In all his life, he never saw Sasuke doing something half assed, even the tiniest of things like closing the door.

Naruto just hung his head low and sighed. Sighed not in exhaustion but in defeat. He realized what just happened and how foolish he was behaving. He assumed Sasuke was being unreasonable with his overprotective brother act, but he was the one who was the real asshole in there. 'He couldn't even close the door completely. He didn't do it on purpose, he just couldn't. He must be overwhelmed. He was just scared to lose me. All this while, he hid fears behind a veil of protectiveness just so that I wouldn't worry about him in return. He…he just cared for me all this while despite his own fears and I just….misjudged him. Completely.' Naruto struggled to hold his tears back at this point.

'When kaa-san and tou-san died, it hurt. It hurt so bad that my tears dried up at one point. I then vowed to do everything I can to protect everyone so that no one has to ever go through what I did. I got so absorbed in that that I distanced myself from the most important person to the extent of not even understanding him properly. In the process of being able to carry out my vow, I lost Sasuke. I hurt my own brother while I thought of protecting everyone. I really am a fool.' Tears were freely flowing down his cheeks now, unhindered by his wide open eyelids. He let them flow. He didn't try bothering now, knowing he would only delay the inevitable.

'I'm sorry Sasuke. I'm sorry. I regret what I did. I won't ever do that anything like that again. I promise. I promise I won't let you be hurt because of me.' Naruto solemnly vowed to himself again as the tears flowing down stood as witness.

* * *

 **A/N: That monologue of Naruto's at the end really took me a long time. Phew. really satisfied with how this turned. In the previous version, there was an additional scene in this chapter as well. But I felt it would be better to place after a while. You'll know why when you read it. Also you've waited long enough for this update and I really didn't want to keep you waiting any longer. Ja na. Don't forget review your opinion and feedback. I accept all kinds of them with open arms. So don't hesitate.**


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